Australia sees no threat to US ties after White House criticism of social media reforms

Australia's efforts to regulate mostly U.S.-based tech firms have emerged as a flashpoint under the current Trump administration. A U.S. congressional committee has called for Australia's internet regulator to testify about what it has described as a regime of censoring American free speech, citing attempts to have Elon Musk's X remove certain posts.

The regulator has not yet indicated whether she will comply.

Trump also opposes digital services taxes on U.S. tech giants and has threatened tariffs on countries that pursue them.

Under an Australian law passed this year, big tech companies can be taxed 2.25% on their local annual revenue if they fail to negotiate deals to pay local media outlets for news shared on their platforms.

($1=1.3848 Australian dollars)