Australia is in the middle of a major online safety debate after the United States announced plans to live stream the execution of Fort Hood shooter Nidal Hasan. The Australian Greens have officially pushed the eSafety Commissioner to block the livestream from being shown in Australia, calling the plan unconscionable and abhorrent. *Who is Nidal Hasan and Why is His Execution Historic?* Nidal Hasan is a former US Army psychiatrist who killed 13 people and injured more than 30 others in a mass shooting at Fort Hood, Texas in 2009. He was sentenced to death. His execution is scheduled for December 3, 2026, at Fort Hood, Texas. If it goes ahead as planned, it will be the first execution by a US military firing squad since 1945, making it an 80-year first. Last week, a Pentagon official confirmed to news agency AFP that the execution would be streamed live. This was after US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said, “We’ll make sure that people are able to watch it, that it’s public.” *What The Greens Are Doing in Australia?* On October 11, Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young wrote a formal letter to eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant and Communications Minister Anika Wells. In her letter and Instagram post, she said: "Donald Trump wants to live stream a public execution... This is a dangerous precedent. We cannot allow this traumatic and violent content to be broadcast into Australian homes and to our kids." She demanded that the government use its powers under the Online Safety Act to order social media platforms like Meta, YouTube, TikTok and X to block the stream in Australia, and fine them if they don't. *What PM Albanese Said Today?* Prime Minister Anthony Albanese spoke to ABC News on October 13, 2026, and fully supported the block. He said Australia will do whatever it can to stop the "completely abhorrent" livestreaming. "I do not know why anybody would want themselves to watch such an event, let alone sit back and allow potentially kids and families to get access to this," Albanese said. He added that it is his social responsibility to stop it and that the government will tell social media companies "this has no place in our country." He also admitted, "It is not as simple as turning off a light switch." His Environment Minister Murray Watt also called the plan "absolutely disgusting." *Can Australia Actually Block It?* This is the biggest question. On 10 News, the eSafety Commissioner admitted that it currently does not have the direct power to prevent a foreign government livestream from being shown online. However, Australia's Online Safety Act does allow eSafety to issue removal notices for content that is classified as Refused Classification (RC), which includes detailed depictions of extreme violence. This same law was used to try to block videos of the Wakeley church stabbing earlier this year. The government can order platforms to geo-block the content for Australian users. Far-right MP Barnaby Joyce described the livestream plan as "Roman amphitheatre stuff," showing that opposition to the plan is across all parties. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights also condemned the plan, saying "the livestreaming of an execution is tantamount to a public execution and would breach the absolute prohibition of torture." *What Happens Next?* The execution is still 7 weeks away. The Australian government is expected to hold talks with Meta, Google and TikTok this week. If the US goes ahead with the live broadcast on December 3, Australians may see a black screen or a blocked message instead of the video, if the ban works. For now, the debate continues: Is this about protecting children, or is it online censorship?