Post showing Anthony Albanese calling free speech a 'dangerous tool' is parody
"I stand firm in my belief that free speech is dangerous tool, must be restricted," reads fake post
(Reuters) - A screenshot purportedly showing an X post by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese calling free speech a “dangerous tool” originates from a parody page but has been taken as the truth online.
The screenshots show an X post from a parody account posing as "Anthony Albanese” that says: “This will be my final post on X. I stand firm in my belief that free speech is a dangerous tool and must be restricted. Elon Musk's commitment to free speech is a detriment to our democratic discourse. As such, in solidarity with Senator Lambie, I too shall be quitting X.”
A user sharing the screenshot of that post on Facebook took it seriously, saying: “Only a tyrant would say that free speech is a ‘tool’, it’s a human right.”
The screenshot was shared online after Elon Musk and Albanese engaged in a spat triggered by an Australian court order directing Musk’s social media company X to remove footage of a recent attack in Sydney in which a teenager knifed a priest and others.
Musk responded to the court order by accusing Australia of censorship. Albanese in turn hit back, calling Musk an “arrogant billionaire.”
The post was originally shared on April 24 by a parody page impersonating Albanese named “Anthony Albanese Australian Labor Parody.” The viral screenshot was cropped to exclude the word “parody” from the username.
The handle for the parody page is @AlboIsPM and its bio says, “Fake Prime Minister of Australia.” The real handle for Albanese’s original account is @AlboMP.
Responding to a request for comment, a spokesperson for Albanese’s government said in an email that, “The Prime Minister’s official Twitter (X) account is @AlboMP.”
Contrary to the parody post, Albanese has not left X and remains active on the platform as of this article’s publication .
VERDICT
Satire. A purported screenshot of an X post by Albanese calling free speech “a dangerous tool” was satirical and not reflective of actual comments.
