The Australian government was taken to court by the nature of the internet known as “Billboard Chris.” He challenged the powers of the country’s “Esaffit” committee, which geoblocks tweets criticizing Australian transgender activists for being appointed to the World Health Organization’s board.
Canadian citizen Chris Elston often expressed free speech through slogans and tweets on sandwich boards in public places, and had his tweets geoblocked by Australians.
Activist Teddy Cook filed a complaint with the Australian Fesfiti Commissioner, demanding that X censor it.
X initially refused, but agreed after the government issued a formal order to do so, according to Alliance Defending Freedom International, which supports Elston. Elston is challenging the move before the Administrative Review Court on Monday.
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“I’m in Australia because their government thinks their people don’t know about toxic gender ideology and think of themselves,” Lois McLatchie Miller of the London-based ADFI, said in X before the incident.
“This post from @billboardchris has been withheld in Australia on legal requirements. Learn more,” a message on the Tweet URL was posted from the land read by McLatchie Miller.
“Is that image aggressive? Absolutely. It’s offensive in my eyes because whom the specialist should not post perverted photos of them or promote drugs or bestiality,” she adds, citing content from the Daily Mail.
Speaking to Fox News Digital, McLatchie Miller said the situation was a “monologic” case of global freedom of speech and “the ultimate “woman” suit.”
“It’s an Australian authority responsible for speeches for Canadian men on the American platform,” she said.
“Australians therefore found that they are not willing to hear the message and discuss a particular topic, so they contacted other countries and blocked free speech that is appealing in and of itself.”
Billboard Chris reflects on the violence he met with protesting gender surgery for children
Billboard Chris in Boston. (Reuters)
“In the past few weeks, foreign governments have not only had very surreal policies that are thought to affect citizens and citizens’ human rights, but they also affect the rights of Americans, Canadians, and other people around the world,” McCreechy Miller said.
Elston was recently fined $806 ($508) for “stopping people” and was removed from the public sidewalk by law enforcement after working with passersby on another message on a sandwich board: “Children cannot agree with adolescent blockers.”
McLatchie Miller’s group said the incident reiterated recent concerns about global censorship from Vice President JD Vance at the Munich Security Conference earlier this year. Vance also raised concerns during a joint presser with British Prime Minister Kiel Starmer.
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“We know that there have been violations regarding freedom of speech that have not only actually affecting British people, but of course what they are doing in their country, as well as American tech companies, and even influenced American citizens,” Vance said at the time.
Fox News Digital reached out to Vance’s office for comments that he was called in the case.
ADFI advocacy director Robert Clark said in a statement regarding the Elston case.
“The decision by Australian authorities to prevent Australian citizens from hearing and assessing information about gender ideology is a patriotic humiliation against democratic principles.”
X is also challenging the six-figure penalty imposed by Australia in 2023, after failing to provide information on how it deals with exploitation and abuse on the platform, according to news.com.au.
Fox News Digital has reached out to Australia’s Esafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant for comments.
Charles Kraitz is a reporter for Fox News Digital.
He joined Fox News in 2013 as a writer and production assistant.
Charles covers the media, politics and culture of Fox News Digital.
Charles is a Pennsylvania native and graduated from Temple University with a Bachelor of Arts in Broadcast Journalism. Story tips can be sent to charles.creitz@fox.com.
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