Elon Musk has been criticized as "dangerous" in connection with the handling of hate speech on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, during a royal commission into anti-Semitism and social cohesion. The commission, held this week, followed the December terror attack at Bondi Beach, where fifteen people were killed in an assault targeting the Jewish community.

Several experts expressed concern over X’s refusal to appear before the commission despite repeated requests. Testimony detailed that since Musk acquired the platform, approximately 80 percent of its online safety staff were dismissed. Witnesses further alleged that content such as footage of the Bondi attack and "Holocaust jokes" were defended by the platform as permissible speech, raising alarms about the company’s approach to monitoring harmful material.

Andre Oboler, chief executive of the Online Hate Prevention Institute, told the commission that Musk’s leadership had contributed to the spread of anti-Semitic content and hate speech on the platform. He emphasized that Musk personally amplified material that fuels such discrimination. The platform reportedly stated it should not be held responsible for protecting children from violent pornography, hate speech, or content encouraging seriously harmful behavior.

Federal Labor MP Josh Burns described social media platforms more broadly as "arenas of hate," citing his own experience with thousands of threats and offensive messages online. During the hearing, an anonymous Jewish father provided poignant testimony about the impact of online anti-Semitism. He characterized social media sites as "playgrounds" for hateful content and recounted the distress caused by reading messages targeting his young son, including the use of Nazi slogans and disturbing polls questioning whether the boy should take his own life.

The royal commission’s inquiry highlights growing concern over how social media platforms, particularly under new ownership or management, handle governance of extremist content and their responsibility to curb the dissemination of hate speech. The statements made during the hearings underscore the challenges facing regulators, policymakers, and communities aiming to address online anti-Semitism and protect vulnerable populations.