In Julie Inman Grant’s address to Australia’s National Press Club in June, her opening words – an off-the-cuff response to the club’s social media presence on X – were among her most telling. With her ability to perform on a podium, her poise and shining smartwatch, she told the audience as she took to the mic: “As you can imagine, my biggest fanbase is on X.”
Under the joshing was the truth: the platform’s owner, Elon Musk, has made life hard for Australia’s eSafety commissioner over the past 18 months or so. But while she might not have his power or his budget or his global megaphone, she does have an audacious goal – and it’s a goal Musk has inadvertently helped spotlight.
