X's head of global government affairs defended keeping a stabbing video on the platform, calling its removal «tyrannical overreach» during testimony before the Southport Inquiry on Tuesday. Deanna Romina Khananisho emphasized X's «free speech mission» despite the video's link to a deadly attack.
The attacker Axel Rudakubana searched for the stabbing video on X just six minutes before leaving home to carry out the Southport attack on July 29 last year. The then-17-year-old killed three young girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class: Elsie Dot Stancombe (7), Bebe King (6), and Alice da Silva Aguiar (9). Ten others were injured.
Free speech defense
Khananisho described the footage as a «horrific incident» but argued she «saw a miracle unfold» when watching the video, which showed a stabbing during Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel's livestreamed sermon in Sydney. She stated: «People saw a monster. I saw an angel protecting Mar Mari.»
The executive defended viewing the content: «I actually see hope. I actually see faith. I actually see forgiveness. For you to take that away from me under the guise of safety that isn't justice, that's tyrannical overreach.»
Platform cooperation questioned
The inquiry requested data on Rudakubana's accounts, including his phone number, three email addresses, and X handle Red_Lorry123. X initially identified four linked accounts, then provided information on three additional accounts Monday night.
The platform refused to disclose message content without a legal order. X has not responded to requests for the date of birth Rudakubana used to establish his account, despite the platform requiring users to enter their date of birth for age verification.
Khananisho argued that content restrictions are ineffective: «Frankly, it wouldn't matter how many protections we have in place, at the end of the day, if somebody is determined to find the content they would find the content on any platform.»
Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
