Elon Musk brands contentious senator 'enemy of the people of Australia'

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Independent senator Jacqui Lambie has faced a scathing attack from Elon Musk, who branded her an 'enemy of the people of Australia' over her stance on his social media platform X and her calls for him to be 'jailed'.

Absolutely. She is an enemy of the people of Australia.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 23, 2024

Lambie, speaking on Sky News, urged fellow parliamentarians to boycott the platform, accusing Musk of 'creating hatred' by ignoring requests to remove harmful content, including footage of a recent terror attack. Lambie's call for action against Musk comes amid bipartisan criticism of the billionaire's refusal to comply with requests from Australia's controversial eSafety Commissioner.

It's not my birthday, Elon, but thank you for the early gift. pic.twitter.com/Qf8e7NS1mp

— Ron Dunn (@ronInBendigo) April 23, 2024

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton have both condemned Musk's actions, with Albanese advocating for stronger laws to regulate social media companies.

This woman has utter contempt for the Australian people

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 23, 2024

Meanwhile, Lambie has suggested that if necessary, the government should consider drastic measures such as shutting down social media platforms that refuse to comply with regulations.

As tensions escalate between lawmakers and tech giants, the future of social media regulation in Australia remains uncertain.