World · East Asia & Pacific · 7 hrs ago
Australia may move to block access to planned US execution livestream
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has said the military plans to livestream the execution of Nidal Hasan in early December.
Hasan was convicted in connection with the 2009 Fort Hood shooting.
Greens have urged Australia’s government and online safety commissioner Julie Inman Grant to stop people in Australia from seeing the livestream if it goes ahead.
Australian law gives the commissioner powers to order platforms to block certain violent material and to seek removal of footage of violent crimes.
Those powers could potentially apply to an execution livestream, but they have not been used for this kind of event.
X has previously challenged Australian restrictions on violent videos, while some other platforms may block such material under their own rules.
Any effort to restrict access could lead to a domestic political dispute and tension with the United States.
The Australian eSafety commissioner has powers that could restrict Australians’ access to a planned livestream of a US military execution.
US defence secretary Pete Hegseth announced that the execution of Fort Hood shooter Nidal Hasan would be livestreamed when it is carried out in early December.
The Greens have urged the commissioner and the Albanese government to prevent Australians from seeing the event if it is livestreamed.
Australian law allows the commissioner to order platforms to block certain content and, in some cases, websites to remove footage of violent crimes.
Any move to block the livestream could provoke domestic criticism and a diplomatic incident, the Guardian reports.
- Who
- Australia’s eSafety commissioner Julie Inman Grant and the Albanese government may face calls to restrict access. The planned execution is of Nidal Hasan.
- What
- Australia may try to block access to a livestream of a US military execution.
- When
- The execution is planned for early December. The year is not stated.
- Where
- The execution is to be carried out in the United States; the potential restrictions would affect access in Australia.
- Why
- The Greens want to ensure Australians cannot see the execution if it is livestreamed.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Internet service providers complied with eSafety’s request to block sites hosting footage of the Christchurch attack.
The eSafety commissioner used takedown powers to order websites to remove videos and related material from the Buffalo terrorist attack.
X successfully challenged an order to keep footage of a Sydney bishop’s stabbing available to Australians.
Pete Hegseth announced that Nidal Hasan’s planned execution would be livestreamed.
Hasan’s military execution is planned to take place.
- Planned execution
- Nidal Hasan, the Fort Hood shooter
- Announced by
- US defence secretary Pete Hegseth
- Planned timing
- Early December
- Australian regulator
- eSafety commissioner Julie Inman Grant
- Potential restriction
- Orders to platforms to block access to content deemed refused classification
- Earlier use of takedown powers
- Buffalo terrorist attack footage, 2022
Sources
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