Australia’s eSafety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, once again finds herself in the spotlight, this time facing scrutiny from Queensland One Nation Senator Malcolm Roberts over her attendance at the World Economic Forum 2024 in Davos.
Senator Roberts took to social media to question the purpose of Grant’s presence at the event, particularly focusing on the costs incurred by Australian taxpayers for her attendance and any accompanying staff.
Australia’s eSafety Commissioner Goes to Davos!
At this year’s Davos, less government officials were present than usual, yet Australia’s eSafety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, was not only present, but she was also an agenda contributor, pushing for greater online safety.
— Malcolm Roberts 🇦🇺 (@MRobertsQLD) February 19, 2024
In his post on X, formerly Twitter, Senator Roberts expressed concerns about the Commissioner’s push for greater online safety regulations on a global scale, emphasising the need for transparency and accountability regarding her activities and expenses.
He highlighted the potential implications of granting broader powers to regulatory bodies like the eSafety Commissioner, raising questions about censorship and freedom of expression in online spaces.
Is Australia’s eSafety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, serving the interests of the Australian public or other global entities, including the censorship industrial complex?
Prior to being recruited by the Australian PM Malcolm Turnbull, the former Twitter and Microsoft… pic.twitter.com/mdIwJmGtty
— Rukshan Fernando (@therealrukshan) February 19, 2024
This latest development comes in the wake of Grant’s previous advocacy for stricter online regulations, including the establishment of an AI-powered global regulatory coalition.
Despite facing criticism for her stance on freedom of speech, Grant has continued to assert the ‘necessity’ of regulatory measures to combat ‘online harm’ and ‘misinformation’.
In a recent Senate hearing, Australian eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant faced scrutiny from Senator Malcolm Roberts regarding her time at the World Economic Forum in Davos and her peculiar focus on @elonmusk X platform. Critics have labeled her role as that of an “unelected… pic.twitter.com/krCHvUsZlT
— Rukshan Fernando (@therealrukshan) February 19, 2024
As the debate over online safety and regulation intensifies, Grant’s actions at Davos have reignited concerns among free speech advocates and political figures like Senator Roberts.
