Lexi Webster
Australia has not banned Fox News, but there have been instances of conflict between the Australian government and Fox News. In 2025, Elon Musk and a Canadian man sued Australian authorities for censoring a tweet by Billboard Chris, who criticised the appointment of a transgender activist to the World Health Organization board. Fox News Digital reached out to the Australian eSafety Commissioner for comment. In 2022, Australia's then-Prime Minister Scott Morrison lost the election despite support from Rupert Murdoch's media properties, including Fox News. Additionally, in 2023, Fox News reportedly imposed a silent ban on Donald Trump, refraining from covering his events and not featuring him on their main channel.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | March 30, 2025 |
| Topic | Censorship |
| Country | Australia |
| Plaintiff | Musk and a Canadian man |
| Defendant | Australian authorities |
| Reason | Censoring a Canadian man's social media post |
| Media | Fox News |
| Additional Information | Australia's plan to ban social media for children under 16 |
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What You'll Learn
Fox News sues Australia for censoring a Canadian man's social media post
Fox News is suing Australian authorities for censoring a Canadian man's social media post. The internet personality, known as "Billboard Chris," or Chris Elston, had a tweet geo-blocked by Australia's "eSafety" commission. The tweet in question was a share of a UK Daily Mail article about a transgender activist, Teddy Cook, who filed a complaint with Australia's eSafety commissioner, leading to the request for censorship. Elston, a Canadian national who often expresses his views through slogans and tweets on sandwich boards in public places, is challenging the Australian government's authority to geo-block his tweet.
This case has brought attention to Australia's plan to implement a world-leading teen social media ban, with popular platforms such as Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram facing heavy fines for non-compliance. However, Australia has proposed exempting YouTube from this ban, citing its unique educative value. Rival tech giants Meta and TikTok have criticized this decision as "illogical" and a "mockery," arguing that it will further entrench Google's market dominance and that YouTube features the same harmful content that the ban aims to address.
The lawsuit against Australia by Fox News, Musk, and Chris Elston, highlights the ongoing debate surrounding free speech and censorship on social media platforms. It also raises questions about the role of media organizations, such as those owned by Rupert Murdoch, including Fox News, in shaping political agendas and public opinion. Murdoch's media empire in Australia has been accused of pushing a far-right, conspiratorial narrative and dividing the population, similar to the tactics employed by Fox News in the US.
While Fox News itself has not been banned in Australia, the network has faced criticism and pushback from Australians, particularly following the 2022 Australian election, where Murdoch-backed conservative Prime Minister Scott Morrison lost to Labor leader Anthony Albanese. Additionally, Fox News has been accused of employing "tabloid tactics" and contributing to toxic politics, especially regarding its coverage of former President Donald Trump and the 2020 US election.
The "silent ban" on Trump by Fox News indicates a shift in the network's alignment, with sources suggesting that Rupert Murdoch has had enough of Trump and does not want him to win the 2024 presidential election. This has caused outrage among Trump supporters, who feel snubbed by the network they once considered an ally.
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Fox News's 'silent ban' on Donald Trump
Fox News has imposed a "soft ban" or "silent ban" on former US President Donald Trump, according to reports. The ban is not a formal policy, but rather an understanding between senior people at the network that Trump should not be booked for appearances. Trump has not appeared on the network since he announced his 2024 presidential bid in November 2023, while his political rivals have been featured regularly.
This cooling of relations between Trump and the network comes at a tense moment for Fox News, which is facing a $1.6 billion lawsuit from Dominion, a voting machine company. During Trump's rise to power and his time in office, he was a frequent presence on Fox News, often calling into his favourite shows. However, since his defeat in the 2020 election, the network has sought to distance itself from the Trump movement and what they see as its increasingly toxic politics.
Trump himself has acknowledged the ban, saying:
> So interesting to watch Fox News cover the small and unenthusiastic 139-person crowd in Staten Island for DeSantis, but stay as far away as possible from coverage of the thousands of people, many unable to get in, at the Club 47 event in West Palm Beach, Florida. I call Fox News the RINO Network, and their DOWN BIG ratings accurately reflect the name.
Trump's invisibility on Fox News is a significant obstacle to his re-election campaign, as it is still the nation's most-watched cable news network. However, other right-wing channels, such as Newsmax and OAN, have gained popularity since 2020.
As for Australia, there is no indication that the country has banned Fox News. In fact, Australia has been the subject of several news stories on Fox News, including its plan to ban social media for children under 16 and its exemption of YouTube from this ban. Additionally, Australia has been mentioned in the context of elections and lawsuits involving Rupert Murdoch, who owns Fox News.
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Fox News's coverage of Australia's gun ban
Fox News has been critical of Australia's gun laws, which ban automatic and semi-automatic weapons. In 2015, Fox News host Tucker Carlson described Australia's gun laws as "insane" and "childish", and claimed that Australians "have no freedom". Carlson interrupted fellow host Clayton Morris when he listed Australia as an example of successful gun control. Carlson said:
> Gun restrictions were an 'infantile focus on the tool of the violence'. You can go to prison for expressing unpopular views in Australia and people do. The idea that taking guns away from the law-abiding will make us safer is insane and childish.
Carlson's comments came after a phone interview with then-Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, who also criticised gun-free zones as "disasters". Trump said:
> That was a gun-free zone in Oregon, where they had no guns allowed, no nothing. So the only one that had the gun was the bad guy and everybody was sitting there and there was nothing they could do. There was nobody with any protection and wouldn't they have been better off if somebody in the room — anybody — had a gun to at least help them out.
Australia introduced strict gun control laws following the Port Arthur massacre in 1996, and there have been no mass shootings in the country since. However, Fox News's coverage of Australia's gun laws has been characterised by criticism of gun control measures and claims that they infringe on freedom of speech.
It is worth noting that Fox News was founded by Rupert Murdoch in 1996, and Australia has been described as "the first testing ground" for the type of tabloid tactics now seen at the network. Murdoch's media properties in Australia have long argued against the existence of climate change and backed conservative politicians, including former Prime Minister Scott Morrison. Despite this support, Labor leader Anthony Albanese won the 2022 election, with many Australians rejecting the culture wars around trans rights and "religious freedom" unleashed by Morrison and his backers in the Murdoch media.
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Fox News's coverage of Australia's election
Australia has not banned Fox News. However, the country has been in the news for its plan to ban social media for children under 16.
In the lead-up to Australia's 2022 federal election, Fox News's coverage focused on the incumbent Prime Minister Scott Morrison and his conservative Liberal-National coalition. Fox News is owned by Rupert Murdoch, who also owns vast swathes of Australia's media market, including Sky News Australia, the Daily Telegraph, the Herald Sun, and the broadsheet The Australian. Murdoch's media properties have long argued against the existence of climate change and backed Morrison's culture wars around trans rights and "religious freedom".
Despite this support, Labor leader Anthony Albanese won the election in a landslide, increasing his party's majority in parliament. Fox News's coverage following the election result included a Sky News show announcing, in true Fox News style, that "the resistance starts now... 1000 days to take the country back from the mad left." Albanese's victory speech focused on Australian values of fairness, aspiration, and opportunity for all. He also reiterated his promises to address issues such as migration, climate change, energy, and the affordability of healthcare and housing.
In the aftermath of the election, commentators have noted the declining power of the Murdoch press and News Corporation in Australia, with the 2022 election results seen as further evidence that Murdoch's influence over Australian voters is waning. This is despite the fact that, at every state and federal election since 2010, the Murdoch press has supported the Coalition and campaigned against Labor and other opponents.
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) and Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) are now rated higher in trustworthiness than Murdoch's news outlets, with ABC projecting Labor to finish with 86 seats, the Coalition about 40, and the Greens Party with one or two. This represents a significant drop in support for the Greens, while most ""teal" independents have retained their seats.
The election also saw a wave of climate-friendly and independent candidates take power, marking a rejection of the culture wars and a shift towards the center on issues like taxation and climate. Albanese's victory was also attributed to cost-of-living concerns, particularly the affordability of healthcare and housing, while international relations and the issue of how to deal with Donald Trump also loomed large over the election. Dutton, the Coalition leader, was seen by many as Australia's Trump, which appeared to be a factor in the Liberal-National coalition's defeat.
In summary, Fox News's coverage of Australia's election focused on the conservative incumbent, Scott Morrison, and his backers in the Murdoch media. However, the election resulted in a victory for Labor and Anthony Albanese, with the subsequent analysis highlighting the diminishing influence of Murdoch's media empire in Australia.
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Fox News's coverage of Australia's transgender activist
Fox News has covered transgender issues in Australia, including the controversy surrounding the appointment of an Australian transgender activist, Teddy Cook, to a World Health Organization board. Fox News reported on the Australian government's move to ban a tweet by an internet personality, "Billboard" Chris Elston, who criticised this appointment. Elston, a Canadian national, shared a UK Daily Mail article titled "Kinky secrets of UN trans expert revealed," along with images of Cook engaging in public nudity and attending bondage parties and transgender orgies.
Fox News covered the legal battle between the Australian government and Elon Musk's X social media platform, where Elston posted the content. The Australian government sought to censor Elston's online activity, placing a geo-based ban on Australians viewing his post. Fox News Digital reached out to the Australian eSafety Commissioner for comment.
Fox News has also covered transgender issues in sports, including a story about women swimmers who spoke out about unknowingly competing against a transgender opponent, Ana Caldas, and requesting action from the organisation. Fox News reported on the USMS eligibility review policy for transgender swimmers, which allows them to participate in the gender category with which they identify.
While Fox News has covered these specific stories related to transgender issues in Australia, it is unclear if they have provided broader coverage of Australia's transgender activist landscape. The network has been criticised for its coverage of transgender topics, with Media Matters reporting that they cover these issues almost twice as much as other major networks and push "inflammatory and misleading narratives about trans people."
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Frequently asked questions
No, Australia did not ban Fox News. However, there is evidence of Fox News's influence in Australia, as it is owned by Australian-born Rupert Murdoch, who also owns a large portion of Australia's media market.
Fox News has been accused of influencing Australian politics through its owner, Rupert Murdoch, who also owns a significant portion of Australia's media market. Murdoch's media properties have been accused of pushing conservative agendas and arguing against the existence of climate change.
Fox News has reported on Australia's plan to implement a social media ban for children under the age of 16. The ban includes popular platforms such as Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram, but there is controversy over the exemption of YouTube.
Fox News has covered the topic of gun control in Australia and how it compares to other countries, such as Venezuela. While Australia has banned certain types of guns, there is still a black market for guns in the country.
