Court Rejects X Appeal on Child Abuse Material Notice

Download IPFS

The Federal Court of Australia has dismissed X Corp.’s appeal against a notice from the eSafety Commissioner, requiring the social media platform to detail its efforts to combat child sexual exploitation material.

The Federal Court of Australia has unanimously rejected an appeal by X Corp., the operator of the social media platform X, against a legal obligation to respond to a transparency notice issued by the eSafety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant. The notice, issued in February 2023 under Australia’s Online Safety Act, demanded that X, formerly Twitter, provide detailed information on measures taken to address child sexual exploitation and abuse material on its platform, as reported by ABC News. The court’s ruling, delivered on July 31, 2025, also ordered X to cover the commissioner’s legal costs.

The case originated when the eSafety Commissioner, whose office is the world’s first government agency dedicated to online safety, sent notices to major tech companies, including Twitter Inc., in early 2023. X argued it was not liable, claiming Twitter ceased to exist as a legal entity after merging with X Corp. in March 2023, per Capital Brief. Federal Court Judge Michael Wheelahan rejected this in October 2024, stating that X inherited Twitter’s regulatory obligations. The full bench of three judges upheld this decision, affirming that foreign companies remain accountable under Australian law, according to Mirage News. eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant welcomed the ruling, stating to ABC News that it confirms tech firms’ compliance duties post-merger.

In a related matter, X faces a separate ongoing federal court case over a $610,500 fine, equivalent to $385,000 USD, imposed in 2023 for failing to adequately explain its anti-child-abuse measures, which the commissioner deemed incomplete or misleading, per The Hindu. X has refused to pay, escalating legal tensions. The platform’s media office did not respond to requests for comment, as noted by KOB.com.

The ruling coincides with Australia’s push for stricter online safety regulations, including a world-first law banning children under 16 from social media platforms, including X, starting in December 2025, per Business Standard. The decision reinforces the government’s commitment to holding tech giants accountable, ensuring robust action against the spread of harmful content online.