speech to text power platform

Speech to Text

Build flows and apps that convert audio files to text in Microsoft Power Platform and other automation platforms.

Convert audio file to text

The “Speech to Text” action retrieves a transcript from an audio file by recognising the words used in the source based on a user-chosen language.

This action could provide a fast and efficient way for users to automate the process of transcribing or subtitling the content they upload to sites like YouTube.

Integrate the "Speech to Text" function into a workflow or app with the platform of your choice:

Power Automate

How to convert audio files to text with Microsoft Power Automate

How to convert audio files to text with Microsoft Power Apps

How to convert audio files to text with Nintex

• How to convert audio files to text with Custom API

Instructions

• In the Flow designer, click the “+” icon to insert a new action.
• Select the “Text – Speech to Text” action under PowerTools in the “Choose an operation” dialog.
• Insert the necessary values or variables in each input field.
• Execute the flow.

NOTE : The Power Platform connector framework imposes a maximum time limit restriction of 2 minutes on all action responses. This severely limits the amount of data that can be processed by the speech to text engine within that timeframe. Our testing has shown that the largest input file that can be processed in this time limit is around 1MB compressed (MP3) or 10MB uncompressed (WAV). Until Microsoft increases the response time restriction, it is advisable to break up larger files into smaller chunks under these limits and split them across multiple actions. 

• Add the PowerTools connector from the Data menu.
• In the formula for the control, variable or element, type “ApptigentPowerTools.SpeechToText().result”. Within the parentheses, enter the field, control or variable that contains the source collection.
• Preview or run the app.

• Locate the “Apptigent PowerTools” group in the actions navigator then drag and drop the “Text – Speech to Text” action onto the design surface.
• Assign the result to a variable.
• Test the workflow.

How to convert audio files to text with another Platform or Custom Code

If your platform is not listed and it supports Open API (Swagger) extensions, import the API Definition document from the Developer Edition product on our Customer Portal at https://portal.apptigent.com/product  (look for the Open API link at the top of the PowerTools Developer API definition page). Invoke the desired actions in your app or workflow design tool, supplying values for the listed parameters. Refer to the developer documentation on the Customer Portal for details on input and output formats.

If you are developing a custom app, execute a RESTful POST operation to the /CountCollection endpoint in your application code or use the pre-generated client scaffolding from our Github repo at  https://github.com/apptigent/powertools . Be sure to include your API Key (Client ID) in the header using the “X-IBM-Client-Id” key/value pair. The body should be a well-formed JSON object with the parameter label(s) and value(s) in the specified format. Refer to the API documentation at https://portal.apptigent.com  for more information.

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Mohamed Ashiq Faleel

Its time to think about Microsoft 365

Text-to-Speech and Audio Playback in Power Apps using Azure and Power Automate

Capabilities like text-to-speech (TTS) and audio playback can take your applications to new heights of user engagement and accessibility. In this blog post, we’ll look at integrating text-to-speech and audio playback functionalities into Power Apps using Power Automate and Azure Speech Services. Whether you’re looking to provide dynamic narration, streamline communication, or enhance accessibility, this post will walk you through the steps to integrate TTS capabilities into your Power Apps projects.

Prerequisites :

Before you begin, ensure that you have the following prerequisites in place:

• Maker role in Power Platform environment
• Premium License – HTTP Connector
• Azure Speech services – Text to speech

Creating Speech Services in Azure for Text to Speech:

Azure provides Speech Services that enable developers to integrate advanced speech capabilities into their applications, including Text to Speech (TTS). With Azure Speech Services, you can convert text into speech in various languages and voices.

Step 1 : Create the resource Speech services in the Azure Portal

Step 2 : Copy the Key from the Keys and Endpoint section within the Resource Management blade. This Key is used for authentication when making requests to the Speech service APIs, enabling text-to-speech conversion in the Power Automate flow through the HTTP connector.

Step 3 : Go to the Speech Studio to choose a voice from the gallery provided in Text to Speech section. Alternatively, you can create a custom voice using your own audio recordings. The Speech Studio can also be accessed from the Overview section of the Speech service in the Azure portal.

Power Automate Flow to convert the text to speech:

The Power Automate serves as a tool in orchestrating the integration between Power Apps and Azure Speech Services, enabling communication between the components. Create an Instant Power Automate flow with the trigger “PowerApps (V2)” either from the Power Automate portal or directly from the Power Apps maker interface. Add a text input varTextInput as shown below to send the text from the Power Apps

The next step involves converting the text to speech/audio utilizing the Text to Speech REST API through the HTTP connector action. Add the HTTP action with request details as below

Method: POST

URI : Depending on the region where you’ve created the Azure Speech resource, select the corresponding Rest API endpoint from the list in the Microsoft documentation . For instance, if the Speech Service resource is created in West Europe, the URL will be:

https://westeurope.tts.speech.microsoft.com/cognitiveservices/v1

In the request body, add the varTextInput included to the Power Apps trigger. I have added the voice en-US-JennyNeural , you can select it from the voice gallery as discussed above.

Next, add a Compose action to convert the audio generated from the HTTP action into base64 format. This will serve as the text output passed in the Respond to a PowerApp or flow action, as shown below:

Base64AudioContent compose action expression: base64(body(‘HTTP-TexttoSpeech’))

Save the flow.

Power Apps for Text Narration:

Let’s develop the app for the text narration feature, where users can input text to be converted into audio using the Power Automate flow created earlier. On the Canvas, add a Text Input control for entering the desired text, an Audio control to play the audio generated from the Azure text-to-speech service, and a button to trigger the Power Automate flow. Make sure the flow is added to the Power Apps. Add the following code to the OnSelect property of the button

The variable playAudioContent will be used in Audio control Star property to play the audio automatically

The Media property of the Audio control should have the following formula, depending on the output variable added in the ‘Respond to PowerApps or flow’ action of the Power Automate flow

The x-wav is the format of the generated audio from the Text to Speech REST API in the Power Automate flow which can be validated from the output of the HTTP action HTTP-TexttoSpeech

You are now ready to test your app.

By combining the power of Power Automate and Azure Speech Services developers can quickly integrate text-to-speech and audio playback functionalities into their Power Apps. Hope you have found this informational & thanks for reading. If you are visiting my blog for the first time, please do look at my other blogposts.

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Published by Mohamed Ashiq Faleel

Developer/architect specialized in SharePoint & Power Platform Solution Architecture and involved in SharePoint since the year 2010. Passionate about different services in Microsoft 365 & Azure. View all posts by Mohamed Ashiq Faleel

One thought on “ Text-to-Speech and Audio Playback in Power Apps using Azure and Power Automate ”

I tried similar design but using new Azure text to speech connector. I am returning Base 64 string to Power Apps but its not binding it to Media control. Its content type is text. I am getting output but cant stream it.

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Speech to text

An AI Speech feature that accurately transcribes spoken audio to text.

Make spoken audio actionable

Quickly and accurately transcribe audio to text in more than 100 languages and variants. Customize models to enhance accuracy for domain-specific terminology. Get more value from spoken audio by enabling search or analytics on transcribed text or facilitating action—all in your preferred programming language.

High-quality transcription

Get accurate audio to text transcriptions with state-of-the-art speech recognition.

Customizable models

Add specific words to your base vocabulary or build your own speech-to-text models.

Flexible deployment

Run Speech to Text anywhere—in the cloud or at the edge in containers.

Production-ready

Access the same robust technology that powers speech recognition across Microsoft products.

Accurately transcribe speech from various sources

Convert audio to text from a range of sources, including  microphones ,  audio files , and  blob storage . Use speaker diarisation to determine who said what and when. Get readable transcripts with automatic formatting and punctuation.

Customize speech models to your needs

Tailor your speech models to understand organization- and industry-specific terminology. Overcome speech recognition barriers such as background noise, accents, or unique vocabulary.  Customize your models  by uploading audio data and transcripts. Automatically  generate custom models using Office 365 data  to optimize speech recognition accuracy for your organization.

Deploy anywhere

Run Speech to Text wherever your data resides. Build speech applications that are optimized for robust cloud capabilities and on-premises using  containers .

Fuel App Innovation with Cloud AI Services

Learn 5 key ways your organization can get started with AI to realize value quickly.

Comprehensive privacy and security

AI Speech, part of Azure AI Services, is  certified  by SOC, FedRAMP, PCI DSS, HIPAA, HITECH, and ISO.

View and delete your custom speech data and models at any time. Your data is encrypted while it's in storage.

Your data remains yours. Your audio input and transcription data aren't logged during audio processing.

Backed by Azure infrastructure, AI Speech offers enterprise-grade security, availability, compliance, and manageability.

Comprehensive security and compliance, built in

Microsoft invests more than USD1 billion annually on cybersecurity research and development.

We employ more than 3,500 security experts who are dedicated to data security and privacy.

Azure has more certifications than any other cloud provider. View the comprehensive list .

Flexible pricing gives you the control you need

With Speech to Text, pay as you go based on the number of hours of audio you transcribe, with no upfront costs.

Get started with an Azure free account

After your credit, move to  pay as you go  to keep building with the same free services. Pay only if you use more than your free monthly amounts.

Documentation and resources

Get started.

Browse the  documentation

Create a AI Speech service with the  Microsoft Learn course

Explore code samples

Check out our  sample code

See customization resources

Explore and customize your voice-to-text solution with  Speech Studio . No code required.

Frequently asked questions about Speech to Text

What is speech to text.

It is a feature within the Speech service that accurately and quickly transcribes audio to text.

What are Azure AI Services?

AI Services  are a collection of customizable, prebuilt AI models that can be used to add AI to applications. There are a variety of domains, including Speech, Decision, Language, and Vision. Speech to Text is one feature within the AI Speech service. Other Speech related features include  Text to Speech ,  Speech Translation , and  Speaker Recognition . An example of a Decision service is  Personalizer , which allows you to deliver personalized, relevant experiences. Examples of AI Languages include  Language Understanding ,  Text Analytics  for natural language processing,  QnA Maker  for FAQ experiences, and  Translator  for language translation.

Start building with AI Services

AI Speech to Text: Revolutionizing Transcription

Table of contents.

In the ever-evolving landscape of technology, AI Speech to Text technology stands out as a beacon of innovation, especially in how we handle and process language. This technology, which encompasses everything from automatic speech recognition (ASR) to audio transcription , is reshaping industries, enhancing accessibility, and streamlining workflows.

What is Speech to Text?

Speech to Text, often abbreviated as speech-to-text , refers to the technology used to transcribe spoken language into written text. This can be applied to various audio sources, such as video files , podcasts , and even real-time conversations. Thanks to advancements in machine learning and natural language processing , today’s speech recognition systems are more accurate and faster than ever.

Core Technologies and Terminology

• ASR (Automatic Speech Recognition) : This is the engine that drives transcription services, converting speech into a string of text.
• Speech Models : These are trained on extensive datasets containing thousands of hours of audio files in multiple languages, such as English, Spanish, French, and German, to ensure accurate transcription .
• Speaker Diarization : This feature identifies different speakers in an audio, making it ideal for video transcription and audio files from meetings or interviews.
• Natural Language Processing (NLP) : Used to enhance the context understanding and summarization of the transcribed text.

Applications and Use Cases

Speech-to-text technology is highly versatile, supporting a range of applications:

• Video Content : From generating subtitles to creating searchable text databases.
• Podcasts : Enhancing accessibility with transcripts that include timestamps , making specific content easy to find.
• Real-time Applications : Like live event captioning and customer support, where latency and transcription accuracy are critical.

Building Your Own Speech to Text System

For those interested in building their own system, numerous resources are available:

• Open Source Tools : Software like Whisper and frameworks that allow customization and integration into existing workflows.
• APIs and SDKs : Platforms like Google Cloud offer robust APIs that facilitate the integration of speech-to-text capabilities into apps and services, complete with detailed tutorials .
• On-Premises Solutions : For businesses needing to keep data in-house for security reasons, on-premises setups are also viable.
• AI tools : AI speech to text or AI transcription tools like Speechify work right in your browser.

Challenges and Considerations

While the technology is impressive, it’s not without its challenges. Word error rate (WER) remains a significant metric for assessing the quality of transcription services. Additionally, the ability to accurately capture specific words or phrases and sentiment analysis can vary depending on the speech models used and the complexity of the audio.

Pricing and Accessibility

The cost of using speech-to-text services can vary. Many providers offer a tiered pricing model based on usage, with some offering free tiers for startups or small-scale applications. Accessibility is also a key focus, with efforts to support multiple languages and dialects expanding rapidly.

The Future of Speech to Text

Looking ahead, the integration of speech-to-text technology in daily life and business processes is only going to deepen. With continuous improvements in speech models , low-latency applications, and the embrace of multi-language support , the potential to bridge communication gaps and enhance data accessibility is immense. As artificial intelligence and machine learning evolve, so too will the capabilities of speech-to-text technologies, making every interaction more engaging and informed.

Whether you are a pro looking to integrate advanced speech-to-text APIs into a complex system, or a newcomer eager to experiment with open-source software , the world of AI speech to text offers endless possibilities. Dive into this technology to unlock new levels of efficiency and innovation in your projects and products.

Try Speechify AI Transcription

Pricing : Free to try

Effortlessly transcribe any video in a snap. Just upload your audio or video and hit “Transcribe” for the most precise transcription.

Boasting support for over 20 languages, Speechify Video Transcription stands out as the premier AI transcription service.

Speechify AI Transcription Features

• Easy to use UI
• Multilingual transcription
• Transcribe directly from YouTube or upload a video
• Transcribe your video in minutes
• Great for individuals to large teams

Speechify is the best option for AI transcription. Move seamlessly between the suite of products in Speechify Studio or use just AI transcription. Try it for yourself, for free !

Frequently Asked Questions

<strong>is there an ai for speech to text</strong>.

Yes, AI technologies that perform speech to text, like automatic speech recognition (ASR) systems, utilize advanced machine learning models and natural language processing to transcribe audio files and real-time speech accurately.

<strong>Which AI converts audio to text?</strong>

AI models such as Google Cloud’s Speech-to-Text and OpenAI’s Whisper are popular choices that convert audio to text. They offer features like speaker diarization, support for multiple languages, and high transcription accuracy.

<strong>How do I convert AI voice to text?</strong>

To convert AI voice to text, you can use speech-to-text APIs provided by platforms like Google Cloud, which allow integration into existing applications to transcribe audio files, including podcasts and video content, in real-time.

<strong>What is the AI that converts voice to text?</strong>

AI that converts voice to text involves automatic speech recognition technologies, like those offered by Google Cloud and OpenAI Whisper. These AIs are designed to provide accurate transcription of natural language from audio and video files.

• Previous Real-Time AI Dubbing with Voice Preservation
• Next AI Speech Recognition: Everything You Should Know

Cliff Weitzman

Cliff Weitzman is a dyslexia advocate and the CEO and founder of Speechify, the #1 text-to-speech app in the world, totaling over 100,000 5-star reviews and ranking first place in the App Store for the News & Magazines category. In 2017, Weitzman was named to the Forbes 30 under 30 list for his work making the internet more accessible to people with learning disabilities. Cliff Weitzman has been featured in EdSurge, Inc., PC Mag, Entrepreneur, Mashable, among other leading outlets.

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All about deepfake voices, tiktok voice generator, text to speech goanimate, the best celebrity text to speech voice generators, pdf audio reader, how to get text to speech indian voices, elevating your anime experience with anime voice generators, best text to speech online.

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To access our catalog of 100,000+ audiobooks, you need to use an iOS device.

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Senate passes bill forcing TikTok’s parent company to sell or face ban, sends to Biden for signature

The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would force TikTok’s China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban. Here’s what to know.

A TikTok content creator, speaks to reporters outside the U.S. Capitol, Tuesday, April 23, 2024, in Washington, as Senators prepare to consider legislation that would force TikTok’s China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib)

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Jennifer Gay, a TikTok content creator, sits outside the U.S. Capitol, Tuesday, April 23, 2024, in Washington as Senators prepare to consider legislation that would force TikTok’s China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib)

FILE - A TikTok content creator, sits outside the U.S. Capitol, April 23, 2024, in Washington. TikTok is gearing up for a legal fight against a U.S. law that would force the social media platform to break ties with its China-based parent company or face a ban. A battle in the courts will almost certainly be backed by Chinese authorities as the bitter U.S.-China rivalry threatens the future of a wildly popular way for young Americans to connect online. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib, file)

Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., center, speaks to reporters outside the U.S. Capitol, Tuesday, April 23, 2024, in Washington as Senators prepare to consider legislation that would force TikTok’s China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib)

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would force TikTok’s China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers that’s expected to face legal challenges and disrupt the lives of content creators who rely on the short-form video app for income.

The TikTok legislation was included as part of a larger $95 billion package that provides foreign aid to Ukraine and Israel and was passed 79-18. It now goes to President Joe Biden, who said in a statement immediately after passage that he will sign it Wednesday.

A decision made by House Republicans last week to attach the TikTok bill to the high-priority package helped expedite its passage in Congress and came after negotiations with the Senate, where an earlier version of the bill had stalled. That version had given TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, six months to divest its stakes in the platform. But it drew skepticism from some key lawmakers concerned it was too short of a window for a complex deal that could be worth tens of billions of dollars.

The revised legislation extends the deadline, giving ByteDance nine months to sell TikTok, and a possible three-month extension if a sale is in progress. The bill would also bar the company from controlling TikTok’s secret sauce: the algorithm that feeds users videos based on their interests and has made the platform a trendsetting phenomenon.

TikTok did not immediately return a request for comment Tuesday night.

The passage of the legislation is a culmination of long-held bipartisan fears in Washington over Chinese threats and the ownership of TikTok, which is used by 170 million Americans. For years, lawmakers and administration officials have expressed concerns that Chinese authorities could force ByteDance to hand over U.S. user data, or influence Americans by suppressing or promoting certain content on TikTok.

“Congress is not acting to punish ByteDance, TikTok or any other individual company,” Senate Commerce Committee Chairwoman Maria Cantwell said. “Congress is acting to prevent foreign adversaries from conducting espionage, surveillance, maligned operations, harming vulnerable Americans, our servicemen and women, and our U.S. government personnel.”

Opponents of the bill say the Chinese government could easily get information on Americans in other ways, including through commercial data brokers that traffic in personal information. The foreign aid package includes a provision that makes it illegal for data brokers to sell or rent “personally identifiable sensitive data” to North Korea, China, Russia, Iran or entities in those countries. But it has encountered some pushback, including from the American Civil Liberties Union, which says the language is written too broadly and could sweep in journalists and others who publish personal information.

Many opponents of the TikTok measure argue the best way to protect U.S. consumers is through implementing a comprehensive federal data privacy law that targets all companies regardless of their origin. They also note the U.S. has not provided public evidence that shows TikTok sharing U.S. user information with Chinese authorities, or that Chinese officials have ever tinkered with its algorithm.

“Banning TikTok would be an extraordinary step that requires extraordinary justification,” said Becca Branum, a deputy director at the Washington-based Center for Democracy & Technology, which advocates for digital rights. “Extending the divestiture deadline neither justifies the urgency of the threat to the public nor addresses the legislation’s fundamental constitutional flaws.”

Sen. Ron Wyden, a Democrat who voted for the legislation, said he has concerns about TikTok, but he’s also worried the bill could have negative effects on free speech, doesn’t do enough to protect consumer privacy and could potentially be abused by a future administration to violate First Amendment rights.

“I plan to watchdog how this legislation is implemented,” Wyden said in a statement.

China has previously said it would oppose a forced sale of TikTok, and has signaled its opposition this time around. TikTok, which has long denied it’s a security threat, is also preparing a lawsuit to block the legislation.

“At the stage that the bill is signed, we will move to the courts for a legal challenge,” Michael Beckerman, TikTok’s head of public policy for the Americas, wrote in a memo sent to employees on Saturday and obtained by The Associated Press.

“This is the beginning, not the end of this long process,” Beckerman wrote.

The company has seen some success with court challenges in the past, but it has never sought to prevent federal legislation from going into effect.

In November, a federal judge blocked a Montana law that would ban TikTok use across the state after the company and five content creators who use the platform sued. Three years before that, federal courts blocked an executive order issued by then-President Donald Trump to ban TikTok after the company sued on the grounds that the order violated free speech and due process rights.

The Trump administration then brokered a deal that had U.S. corporations Oracle and Walmart take a large stake in TikTok. But the sale never went through.

Trump, who is running for president again this year, now says he opposes the potential ban.

Since then, TikTok has been in negotiations about its future with the secretive Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, a little-known government agency tasked with investigating corporate deals for national security concerns.

On Sunday, Erich Andersen, a top attorney for ByteDance who led talks with the U.S. government for years, told his team that he was stepping down from his role.

“As I started to reflect some months ago on the stresses of the last few years and the new generation of challenges that lie ahead, I decided that the time was right to pass the baton to a new leader,” Andersen wrote in an internal memo that was obtained by the AP. He said the decision to step down was entirely his and was decided months ago in a discussion with the company’s senior leaders.

Meanwhile, TikTok content creators who rely on the app have been trying to make their voices heard . Earlier Tuesday, some creators congregated in front the Capitol building to speak out against the bill and carry signs that read “I’m 1 of the 170 million Americans on TikTok,” among other things.

Tiffany Cianci, a content creator who has more than 140,000 followers on the platform and had encouraged people to show up, said she spent Monday night picking up creators from airports in the D.C. area. Some came from as far as Nevada and California. Others drove overnight from South Carolina or took a bus from upstate New York.

Cianci says she believes TikTok is the safest platform for users right now because of Project Texas, TikTok’s $1.5 billion mitigation plan to store U.S. user data on servers owned and maintained by the tech giant Oracle.

“If our data is not safe on TikTok,” she said. “I would ask why the president is on TikTok .”

Associated Press writers Mary Clare Jalonick and Matt O’Brien contributed to this report.

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Balabolka Portable 2.15.0.869 (text-to-speech on demand) Released

Balabolka is packaged with permission from the publisher

Update automatically or install from the portable app store in the PortableApps.com Platform .

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Balabolka Portable is packaged in a PortableApps.com Installer so it will automatically detect an existing PortableApps.com installation when your drive is plugged in. It supports upgrades by installing right over an existing copy, preserving all settings. And it's in PortableApps.com Format, so it automatically works with the PortableApps.com Platform including the Menu and Backup Utility.

Balabolka Portable is available for immediate download from the Balabolka Portable homepage . Get it today!

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Tuesday Tip: Community User Groups

It's time for another TUESDAY TIPS, your weekly connection with the most insightful tips and tricks that empower both newcomers and veterans in the Power Platform Community! Every Tuesday, we bring you a curated selection of the finest advice, distilled from the resources and tools in the Community. Whether you’re a seasoned member or just getting started, Tuesday Tips are the perfect compass guiding you across the dynamic landscape of the Power Platform Community.   As our community family expands each week, we revisit our essential tools, tips, and tricks to ensure you’re well-versed in the community’s pulse. Keep an eye on the News & Announcements for your weekly Tuesday Tips—you never know what you may learn!   Today's Tip: Community User Groups and YOU Being part of, starting, or leading a User Group can have many great benefits for our community members who want to learn, share, and connect with others who are interested in the Microsoft Power Platform and the low-code revolution.   When you are part of a User Group, you discover amazing connections, learn incredible things, and build your skills. Some User Groups work in the virtual space, but many meet in physical locations, meaning you have several options when it comes to building community with people who are learning and growing together!   Some of the benefits of our Community User Groups are: Network with like-minded peers and product experts, and get in front of potential employers and clients.Learn from industry experts and influencers and make your own solutions more successful.Access exclusive community space, resources, tools, and support from Microsoft.Collaborate on projects, share best practices, and empower each other. These are just a few of the reasons why our community members love their User Groups. Don't wait. Get involved with (or maybe even start) a User Group today--just follow the tips below to get started.For current or new User Group leaders, all the information you need is here: User Group Leader Get Started GuideOnce you've kicked off your User Group, find the resources you need:  Community User Group ExperienceHave questions about our Community User Groups? Let us know! We are here to help you!

Super User of the Month | Ahmed Salih

We're thrilled to announce that Ahmed Salih is our Super User of the Month for April 2024. Ahmed has been one of our most active Super Users this year--in fact, he kicked off the year in our Community with this great video reminder of why being a Super User has been so important to him!   Ahmed is the Senior Power Platform Architect at Saint Jude's Children's Research Hospital in Memphis. He's been a Super User for two seasons and is also a Microsoft MVP! He's celebrating his 3rd year being active in the Community--and he's received more than 500 kudos while authoring nearly 300 solutions. Ahmed's contributions to the Super User in Training program has been invaluable, with his most recent session with SUIT highlighting an incredible amount of best practices and tips that have helped him achieve his success.   Ahmed's infectious enthusiasm and boundless energy are a key reason why so many Community members appreciate how he brings his personality--and expertise--to every interaction. With all the solutions he provides, his willingness to help the Community learn more about Power Platform, and his sheer joy in life, we are pleased to celebrate Ahmed and all his contributions! You can find him in the Community and on LinkedIn. Congratulations, Ahmed--thank you for being a SUPER user!  

Tuesday Tip: Getting Started with Private Messages & Macros

Welcome to TUESDAY TIPS, your weekly connection with the most insightful tips and tricks that empower both newcomers and veterans in the Power Platform Community! Every Tuesday, we bring you a curated selection of the finest advice, distilled from the resources and tools in the Community. Whether you’re a seasoned member or just getting started, Tuesday Tips are the perfect compass guiding you across the dynamic landscape of the Power Platform Community.   As our community family expands each week, we revisit our essential tools, tips, and tricks to ensure you’re well-versed in the community’s pulse. Keep an eye on the News & Announcements for your weekly Tuesday Tips—you never know what you may learn!   This Week's Tip: Private Messaging & Macros in Power Apps Community   Do you want to enhance your communication in the Community and streamline your interactions? One of the best ways to do this is to ensure you are using Private Messaging--and the ever-handy macros that are available to you as a Community member!   Our Knowledge Base article about private messaging and macros is the best place to find out more. Check it out today and discover some key tips and tricks when it comes to messages and macros:   Private Messaging: Learn how to enable private messages in your community profile and ensure you’re connected with other community membersMacros Explained: Discover the convenience of macros—prewritten text snippets that save time when posting in forums or sending private messagesCreating Macros: Follow simple steps to create your own macros for efficient communication within the Power Apps CommunityUsage Guide: Understand how to apply macros in posts and private messages, enhancing your interaction with the Community For detailed instructions and more information, visit the full page in your community today:Power Apps: Enabling Private Messaging & How to Use Macros (Power Apps)Power Automate: Enabling Private Messaging & How to Use Macros (Power Automate)  Copilot Studio: Enabling Private Messaging &How to Use Macros (Copilot Studio) Power Pages: Enabling Private Messaging & How to Use Macros (Power Pages)

April 4th Copilot Studio Coffee Chat | Recording Now Available

Did you miss the Copilot Studio Coffee Chat on April 4th? This exciting and informative session with Dewain Robinson and Gary Pretty is now available to watch in our Community Galleries!   This AMA discussed how Copilot Studio is using the conversational AI-powered technology to aid and assist in the building of chatbots. Dewain is a Principal Program Manager with Copilot Studio. Gary is a Principal Program Manager with Copilot Studio and Conversational AI. Both of them had great insights to share with the community and answered some very interesting questions!     As part of our ongoing Coffee Chat AMA series, this engaging session gives the Community the unique opportunity to learn more about the latest Power Platform Copilot plans, where we’ll focus, and gain insight into upcoming features. We’re looking forward to hearing from the community at the next AMA, so hang on to your questions!   Watch the recording in the Gallery today: April 4th Copilot Studio Coffee Chat AMA

Tuesday Tip: Subscriptions & Notifications

TUESDAY TIPS are our way of communicating helpful things we've learned or shared that have helped members of the Community. Whether you're just getting started or you're a seasoned pro, Tuesday Tips will help you know where to go, what to look for, and navigate your way through the ever-growing--and ever-changing--world of the Power Platform Community! We cover basics about the Community, provide a few "insider tips" to make your experience even better, and share best practices gleaned from our most active community members and Super Users.   With so many new Community members joining us each week, we'll also review a few of our "best practices" so you know just "how" the Community works, so make sure to watch the News & Announcements each week for the latest and greatest Tuesday Tips!   This Week: All About Subscriptions & Notifications We don't want you to a miss a thing in the Community! The best way to make sure you know what's going on in the News & Announcements, to blogs you follow, or forums and galleries you're interested in is to subscribe! These subscriptions ensure you receive automated messages about the most recent posts and replies. Even better, there are multiple ways you can subscribe to content and boards in the community! (Please note: if you have created an AAD (Azure Active Directory) account you won't be able to receive e-mail notifications.)   Subscribing to a Category  When you're looking at the entire category, select from the Options drop down and choose Subscribe.     You can then choose to Subscribe to all of the boards or select only the boards you want to receive notifications. When you're satisfied with your choices, click Save.   Subscribing to a Topic You can also subscribe to a single topic by clicking Subscribe from the Options drop down menu, while you are viewing the topic or in the General board overview, respectively.     Subscribing to a Label Find the labels at the bottom left of a post.From a particular post with a label, click on the label to filter by that label. This opens a window containing a list of posts with the label you have selected. Click Subscribe.           Note: You can only subscribe to a label at the board level. If you subscribe to a label named 'Copilot' at board #1, it will not automatically subscribe you to an identically named label at board #2. You will have to subscribe twice, once at each board.   Bookmarks Just like you can subscribe to topics and categories, you can also bookmark topics and boards from the same menus! Simply go to the Topic Options drop down menu to bookmark a topic or the Options drop down to bookmark a board. The difference between subscribing and bookmarking is that subscriptions provide you with notifications, whereas bookmarks provide you a static way of easily accessing your favorite boards from the My subscriptions area.   Managing & Viewing Your Subscriptions & Bookmarks To manage your subscriptions, click on your avatar and select My subscriptions from the drop-down menu.     From the Subscriptions & Notifications tab, you can manage your subscriptions, including your e-mail subscription options, your bookmarks, your notification settings, and your email notification format.     You can see a list of all your subscriptions and bookmarks and choose which ones to delete, either individually or in bulk, by checking multiple boxes.     A Note on Following Friends on Mobile Adding someone as a friend or selecting Follow in the mobile view does not allow you to subscribe to their activity feed. You will merely be able to see your friends’ biography, other personal information, or online status, and send messages more quickly by choosing who to send the message to from a list, as opposed to having to search by username.

Monthly Community User Group Update | April 2024

The monthly Community User Group Update is your resource for discovering User Group meetings and events happening around the world (and virtually), welcoming new User Groups to our Community, and more! Our amazing Community User Groups are an important part of the Power Platform Community, with more than 700 Community User Groups worldwide, we know they're a great way to engage personally, while giving our members a place to learn and grow together.   This month, we welcome 3 new User Groups in India, Wales, and Germany, and feature 8 User Group Events across Power Platform and Dynamics 365. Find out more below. New Power Platform User Groups   Power Platform Innovators (India) About: Our aim is to foster a collaborative environment where we can share upcoming Power Platform events, best practices, and valuable content related to Power Platform. Whether you’re a seasoned expert or a newcomer looking to learn, this group is for you. Let’s empower each other to achieve more with Power Platform. Join us in shaping the future of digital transformation!   Power Platform User Group (Wales) About: A Power Platform User Group in Wales (predominantly based in Cardiff but will look to hold sessions around Wales) to establish a community to share learnings and experience in all parts of the platform.   Power Platform User Group (Hannover) About: This group is for anyone who works with the services of Microsoft Power Platform or wants to learn more about it and no-code/low-code. And, of course, Microsoft Copilot application in the Power Platform.   New Dynamics365 User Groups   Ellucian CRM Recruit UK (United Kingdom) About: A group for United Kingdom universities using Ellucian CRM Recruit to manage their admissions process, to share good practice and resolve issues.    Business Central Mexico (Mexico City) About:  A place to find documentation, learning resources, and events focused on user needs in Mexico. We meet to discuss and answer questions about the current features in the standard localization that Microsoft provides, and what you only find in third-party locations. In addition, we focus on what's planned for new standard versions, recent legislation requirements, and more. Let's work together to drive request votes for Microsoft for features that aren't currently found—but are indispensable.   Dynamics 365 F&O User Group (Dublin) About: The Dynamics 365 F&O User Group - Ireland Chapter meets up in person at least twice yearly in One Microsoft Place Dublin for users to have the opportunity to have conversations on mutual topics, find out what’s new and on the Dynamics 365 FinOps Product Roadmap, get insights from customer and partner experiences, and access to Microsoft subject matter expertise.  Upcoming Power Platform Events    PAK Time (Power Apps Kwentuhan) 2024 #6 (Phillipines, Online) This is a continuation session of Custom API. Sir Jun Miano will be sharing firsthand experience on setting up custom API and best practices. (April 6, 2024)       Power Apps: Creating business applications rapidly (Sydney) At this event, learn how to choose the right app on Power Platform, creating a business application in an hour, and tips for using Copilot AI. While we recommend attending all 6 events in the series, each session is independent of one another, and you can join the topics of your interest. Think of it as a “Hop On, Hop Off” bus! Participation is free, but you need a personal computer (laptop) and we provide the rest. We look forward to seeing you there! (April 11, 2024)     April 2024 Cleveland Power Platform User Group (Independence, Ohio) Kickoff the meeting with networking, and then our speaker will share how to create responsive and intuitive Canvas Apps using features like Variables, Search and Filtering. And how PowerFx rich functions and expressions makes configuring those functionalities easier. Bring ideas to discuss and engage with other community members! (April 16, 2024)     Dynamics 365 and Power Platform 2024 Wave 1 Release (NYC, Online) This session features Aric Levin, Microsoft Business Applications MVP and Technical Architect at Avanade and Mihir Shah, Global CoC Leader of Microsoft Managed Services at IBM. We will cover some of the new features and enhancements related to the Power Platform, Dataverse, Maker Portal, Unified Interface and the Microsoft First Party Apps (Microsoft Dynamics 365) that were announced in the Microsoft Dynamics 365 and Power Platform 2024 Release Wave 1 Plan. (April 17, 2024)     Let’s Explore Copilot Studio Series: Bot Skills to Extend Your Copilots (Makati National Capital Reg... Join us for the second installment of our Let's Explore Copilot Studio Series, focusing on Bot Skills. Learn how to enhance your copilot's abilities to automate tasks within specific topics, from booking appointments to sending emails and managing tasks. Discover the power of Skills in expanding conversational capabilities. (April 30, 2024)   Upcoming Dynamics365 Events    Leveraging Customer Managed Keys (CMK) in Dynamics 365 (Noida, Uttar Pradesh, Online) This month's featured topic: Leveraging Customer Managed Keys (CMK) in Dynamics 365, with special guest Nitin Jain from Microsoft. We are excited and thankful to him for doing this session. Join us for this online session, which should be helpful to all Dynamics 365 developers, Technical Architects and Enterprise architects who are implementing Dynamics 365 and want to have more control on the security of their data over Microsoft Managed Keys. (April 11, 2024)     Stockholm D365 User Group April Meeting (Stockholm) This is a Swedish user group for D365 Finance and Operations, AX2012, CRM, CE, Project Operations, and Power BI.  (April 17, 2024)         Transportation Management in D365 F&SCM Q&A Session (Toronto, Online) Calling all Toronto UG members and beyond! Join us for an engaging and informative one-hour Q&A session, exclusively focused on Transportation Management System (TMS) within Dynamics 365 F&SCM. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or just curious about TMS, this event is for you. Bring your questions! (April 26, 2024)   Leaders, Create Your Events!    Leaders of existing User Groups, don’t forget to create your events within the Community platform. By doing so, you’ll enable us to share them in future posts and newsletters. Let’s spread the word and make these gatherings even more impactful! Stay tuned for more updates, inspiring stories, and collaborative opportunities from and for our Community User Groups.   P.S. Have an event or success story to share? Reach out to us – we’d love to feature you. Just leave a comment or send a PM here in the Community!

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Congress Passed a Bill That Could Ban TikTok. Now Comes the Hard Part.

President Biden has signed the bill to force a sale of the video app or ban it. Now the law faces court challenges, a shortage of qualified buyers and Beijing’s hostility.

• Share full article

By Sapna Maheshwari and David McCabe

Sapna Maheshwari reported from New York, and David McCabe from Washington.

A bill that would force a sale of TikTok by its Chinese owner, ByteDance — or ban it outright — was passed by the Senate on Tuesday and signed into law Wednesday by President Biden.

Now the process is likely to get even more complicated.

Congress passed the measure citing national security concerns because of TikTok’s Chinese ties. Both lawmakers and security experts have said there are risks that the Chinese government could lean on ByteDance for access to sensitive data belonging to its 170 million U.S. users or to spread propaganda.

The law would allow TikTok to continue to operate in the United States if ByteDance sold it within 270 days, or about nine months, a time frame that the president could extend to a year.

The measure is likely to face legal challenges, as well as possible resistance from Beijing, which could block the sale or export of the technology. It’s also unclear who has the resources to buy TikTok, since it will carry a hefty price tag.

The issue could take months or even years to settle, during which the app would probably continue to function for U.S. consumers.

“It’s going to be a royal mess,” said Anupam Chander, a visiting scholar at the Institute for Rebooting Social Media at Harvard and an expert on the global regulation of new technologies.

TikTok pledged to challenge the law. “Rest assured, we aren’t going anywhere,” its chief executive, Shou Chew, said in a video posted to the platform. “We are confident, and we will keep fighting for your rights in the courts.”

Here’s what to expect next.

TikTok’s Day in Court

TikTok is likely to start by challenging the measure in the courts.

“I think that’s the one certainty: There will be litigation,” said Jeff Kosseff, an associate professor of cybersecurity law at the Naval Academy.

TikTok’s case will probably lean on the First Amendment, legal experts said. The company is expected to argue that a forced sale could violate its users’ free speech rights because a new owner could change the app’s content policies and reshape what users are able to freely share on the platform.

“Thankfully, we have a Constitution in this country, and people’s First Amendment rights are very important,” Michael Beckerman, TikTok’s vice president of public policy, said in an interview with a creator on the platform last week. “We’ll continue to fight for you and all the other users on TikTok.”

Other groups, like the American Civil Liberties Union, which has been a vocal opponent of the bill, may also join the legal fight. A spokeswoman for the A.C.L.U. said on Tuesday that the group was still weighing its role in potential litigation challenging the law.

The government will probably need to make a strong case that ByteDance’s ownership of TikTok makes it necessary to limit speech because of national security concerns, the legal experts said.

TikTok already has a strong record in similar First Amendment battles. When he was president, Donald J. Trump tried to force a sale or ban of the app in 2020, but federal judges blocked the effort because it would have had the effect of shutting down a “platform for expressive activity.” Montana tried to ban TikTok in the state last year because of the app’s Chinese ownership, but a different federal judge ruled against the state law for similar reasons.

Only one narrower TikTok restriction has survived a court challenge. The governor of Texas announced a ban of the app on state government devices and networks in 2022 because of its Chinese ownership and related data privacy concerns. Professors at public universities challenged the ban in court last year, saying it blocked them from doing research on the app. A federal judge upheld the state ban in December, finding it was a “reasonable restriction” in light of Texas’ concerns and the narrow scope affecting only state employees.

Small Buyer Pool

Analysts estimate that the price for the U.S. portion of TikTok could be tens of billions of dollars.

ByteDance itself is one of the world’s most valuable start-ups , with an estimated worth of $225 billion, according to CB Insights, a firm that tracks venture capital and start-ups.

The steep price tag would limit the list of who could afford TikTok. Tech giants like Meta or Google would probably be blocked from an acquisition because of antitrust concerns.

Private equity firms or other investors could form a group to raise enough money to buy TikTok. Former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in March that he wanted to build such a group. And anyone who can pony up the money still has to pass muster with the U.S. government, which needs to sign off on any purchase.

Few others have expressed public interest in buying the app.

The last time the government tried to force ByteDance to sell TikTok in 2020, the company held talks with Microsoft and the software company Oracle. (Oracle and Walmart ultimately appeared to reach an agreement with ByteDance, but the deal never materialized .)

A Complicated Divestment

Even if TikTok approaches a sale, the process of separating TikTok from ByteDance is likely to be messy.

The legislation prohibits any connection between ByteDance and TikTok after a sale. Yet TikTok employees use ByteDance software in their communications, and the company’s employees are global, with executives in Singapore, Dublin, Los Angeles and Mountain View, Calif.

It’s unclear if ByteDance would consider selling TikTok’s entire global footprint or just its U.S. operations, where the company has nearly 7,000 employees.

Breaking off just the U.S. portion of TikTok could prove particularly challenging. The app's recommendation algorithm, which figures out what users like and serves up content, is key to the success of the app. But Chinese engineers work on that algorithm, which ByteDance owns.

During Mr. Trump’s attempt to force a sale in 2020, the Chinese government issued export restrictions that appeared to require its regulators to grant permission before ByteDance algorithms could be sold or licensed to outsiders.

The uncertainty around the export of the algorithm and other ByteDance technology could also deter interested buyers.

China’s Unpredictable Role

The Chinese government could also try to block a TikTok sale.

Chinese officials criticized a similar bill after the House passed it in March, although they have not yet said whether they would block a divestment. About a year ago, China’s commerce ministry said it would “firmly oppose” a sale of the app by ByteDance.

Chinese export regulations appear to cover TikTok’s content recommendation algorithm, giving Beijing a say in whether ByteDance could sell or license the app’s most valuable feature.

It “is not a foregone conclusion by any means” that China will allow a sale, said Lindsay Gorman, a senior fellow at the German Marshall Fund who specializes in emerging tech and China.

China may retaliate against American companies. On Friday, China’s Cyberspace Administration asked Apple to remove Meta’s WhatsApp and Threads from its App Store, according to the iPhone manufacturer. The Chinese government cited national security reasons in making the demand.

Sapna Maheshwari reports on TikTok, technology and emerging media companies. She has been a business reporter for more than a decade. Contact her at [email protected] . More about Sapna Maheshwari

David McCabe covers tech policy. He joined The Times from Axios in 2019. More about David McCabe

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Azure Text to speech (Preview)

Azure Text-to-speech allows you to build apps and services that speak naturally with more than 400 voices across 140 languages and dialects.

This connector is available in the following products and regions:

The Speech service allows you to convert text into synthesized speech and get a list of supported voices for a region by using a REST API.

Pre-requisites

You will need the following to proceed:

• Azure subscription - Create one for free .
• Create a Speech resource in the Azure portal.
• Get the Speech resource key and region. After your Speech resource is deployed, select Go to resource to view and manage keys. For more information about Cognitive Services resources, see Get the keys for your resource .
• Learn more about Azure Text-to-speech supported locales and voices .

Creating a connection

The connector supports the following authentication types:

Auth ID: keyBasedAuth

Applicable: All regions

This is shareable connection. If the power app is shared with another user, connection is shared as well. For more information, please see the Connectors overview for canvas apps - Power Apps | Microsoft Docs

Microsoft Entra ID Integrated

Auth ID: tokenBasedAuth

Use Microsoft Entra ID to access your speech service.

This is not shareable connection. If the power app is shared with another user, another user will be prompted to create new connection explicitly.

Default [DEPRECATED]

This option is only for older connections without an explicit authentication type, and is only provided for backward compatibility.

Throttling Limits

Convert text to speech.

Convert single text to speech.

Convert text to speech with SSML

Convert text to speech by using Speech Synthesis Markup Language (SSML)

Get list of voices

Get a full list of voices for a specific region or endpoint.

Additional resources

Congress approved a TikTok ban. Why it could still be years before it takes effect.

TikTok’s fate in the U.S. has never been more in doubt after Congress approved a bill that gives its parent company two options: sell it to an approved buyer or see it banned.

President Joe Biden signed the legislation into law on Wednesday. 

But it could take years for the TikTok ban to actually go into effect, since its Chinese-owned parent company, ByteDance, is likely to challenge the statute in court. 

And even if it survives a legal challenge, no one is quite sure what would happen next. 

How soon could a potential ban take effect?

It would probably be several years from now.

According to the statute’s language, ByteDance would have nine months to divest and find an American buyer for TikTok once the bill is signed into law. 

On top of that, the president can push back the deadline by an additional 90 days. 

That means, without a sale, the soonest TikTok could shut down in the U.S. would be more than one year from now.  

But it’s more complicated than that. 

If ByteDance sues to block the implementation of the statute — which it has said it would do — the bill will be taken up by the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, according to Isaac Boltansky, director of policy for the financial services firm BTIG.

Boltansky said ByteDance would file a suit no later than this fall. And while the case is under judicial review, the “clock” on any ban is effectively paused, he said. 

Once the D.C. court issues its ruling, whichever side loses is likely to request a review by the U.S. Supreme Court.

That would forestall the ban by another year — meaning nothing would go into effect until 2026, Boltansky said.

TikTok will argue that the ban is unconstitutional and that it’s also taken steps to protect American users’ data. The app has already launched an aggressive lobbying campaign, featuring a number of small-business owners and influencers who say it's their lifeblood.

“We have got to make enough noise so that they don’t take away our voice,” TikTok user @dadlifejason, who has 13.8 million followers, says in a TikTok ad shared on social media.

What about finding a buyer?

The bill stipulates that TikTok can continue to operate in the U.S. if ByteDance sells the app to a U.S.-approved firm. 

While large U.S. tech companies would love to get their hands on the platform, Boltansky said that Biden administration regulators — not to mention GOP critics of Big Tech firms — have no interest in expanding the power, reach or influence of such companies.  

Some other outside groups might emerge. At least one led by Steve Mnuchin, who was Treasury secretary in the Trump administration, has already sought to make a bid, telling CNBC in March that he was putting together an investor group . The Wall Street Journal has also reported that former Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick was looking for potential buyer partners. While ByteDance, which owns other companies, is worth hundreds of billions of dollars, TikTok would fetch less than that, experts say — especially if it is sold without its powerful recommendation algorithm.  

But Boltansky believes ByteDance is unlikely to agree to any kind of sale. The Chinese government has said as much, arguing that it regards the algorithm as a national security asset. And without that, TikTok becomes much less appealing to potential buyers.    

So is TikTok in the U.S. going away?

It might — but the ultimate impact may be limited. The fact is, most TikTok users already have a presence on other platforms, so the impact on their livelihoods to the extent that they operate businesses on TikTok could be limited.

According to a survey from the financial services group Wedbush, approximately 60% of TikTok user respondents said they’d simply migrate to Instagram (or Facebook) in the event of a sale, while 19% said they’d go to YouTube. 

Analysts with financial services company Bernstein arrived at similar estimates. In a note to clients, they forecast that Meta, which owns Instagram and Facebook, would take over as much as 60% of TikTok’s U.S. ad revenue, with YouTube gaining 25%. Snapchat would also benefit, they said. 

Why did lawmakers feel they needed to take this drastic step?

Boltansky said many political pundits remain surprised that the bill got over the finish line. But a wave of anxiety about both Chinese influence and the impact of social media on youth converged to get it passed.

“This has been noteworthy,” Boltansky said. “Everyone is so conditioned to D.C. doing nothing or the bare minimum to keep the lights on.”

As tensions with Beijing have grown, congressional lawmakers, along with top law enforcement officials, have warned that TikTok is controlled by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and is a national security threat to the United States.

“It screams out with national security concerns,” FBI Director Christopher Wray testified on Capitol Hill last year

U.S. officials fear that the Chinese government is using TikTok to access data from, and spy on, its American users, spreading disinformation and conspiracy theories.

It felt like a TikTok ban was moving slowly, then quickly. What happened?

The House passed its standalone TikTok bill on a big bipartisan vote in March. But the Senate appeared in no hurry to take up the measure as Commerce Chair Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., drafted her own legislation.

That all changed when Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., working with the White House, rolled out his $95 billion foreign aid supplemental plan last week that included billions of dollars for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. 

Included in that sweeping aid package: the House’s TikTok bill, with some minor changes. Johnson pushed the package through his chamber, then sent the House on a recess, forcing the Senate to take it or leave it.

Rather than further delay the critical, long-stalled military and humanitarian aid, the Democratic-controlled Senate is moving to quickly pass the package — including the TikTok bill and other Johnson priorities.

Rob Wile is a breaking business news reporter for NBC News Digital.

Scott Wong is a senior congressional reporter for NBC News.

Elon Musk and Anthony Albanese's church attack spat isn't about free speech. It's about power

Analysis Elon Musk and Anthony Albanese's church attack spat isn't about free speech. It's about power

It takes a special kind of person to attract universal criticism across Australia's federal political landscape.

For Elon Musk, the controversial owner of the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, the backlash he's facing is likely something he'll wear as a badge of honour.

He's been called an "egotistical billionaire" by cabinet minister Tanya Plibersek, a "narcissistic cowboy" by Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young, an "absolute friggin' disgrace" by the Tasmanian independent Jacqui Lambie and an "arrogant billionaire who thinks he's above the law" by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. 

The Coalition too wants in, putting aside its usual defence of free speech rights to suggest Musk is pursuing an "insulting and offensive argument" in his refusal to remove graphic footage of a stabbing in a Sydney church last week. 

That incident, which authorities quickly called an act of terrorism, saw Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel hospitalised with lacerations to his head after being lunged at with a knife during a mass that was being broadcast online.

Footage of the incident spread across social media platforms, prompting Australia's eSafety commissioner Julie Inman Grant to order websites take down content referencing the Wakeley stabbing. 

Meta, the owner of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, agreed, while Musk's company X threatened its legal action in a bid to fight the government. 

If it was a legal fight that Musk was wanting, he got it. Inman Grant beat him to the court and won a two-day injunction against X for only blocking the content in Australia . 

At the time of writing, the video remains online and is actively being  promoted by a crossbench senator elected under Clive Palmer's party.

Case sparks questions about the reach of Australian law

The whole saga offers a timely reminder of how far the world has come in such a short time.

It was only in 2008 that Supreme Court Justice Betty King banned the crime drama Underbelly from being broadcast in Victoria . It was a simpler time. TV episodes were broadcast weekly, streaming was barely a thing and getting the episodes to Victoria almost required the shelving of a USB (maybe don't Google that at work) to get it across state lines. 

Now we live in a globally connected world, where technology and media companies have wide-reaching platforms that share content across international jurisdictions. 

The Musk-Inman Grant matter sits in the hands of the courts to determine how far-reaching Australian laws are.

Should a country be able to ban content being shown globally? Where does the line exist? Could a country, say Russia, have the ability to demand X remove content beyond its borders of Ukraine's military resistance?

These are questions for the nation's sharpest legal minds to determine. But there is more at play here than simply matters of the law.

Both Musk and Australian politicians are using the case to fight political battles in their interests.

For Musk, it's a chance to further bolster his free speech credentials. It's in his interests to pick a fight with a government he thinks is overreaching. It's a chance for him to be seen sticking it to "the man".

But there is more at stake than just speech. His commercial interests lie at the heart of this dispute.

Musk knows that other nations are closely watching the laws Australia makes for the social media giants. Just look at how Australia's plain packaging of tobacco has been adopted internationally. Further social media crackdowns here could come with greater crackdowns in bigger markets like the United States and the United Kingdom. 

The X owner says the footage should stay up because it doesn't breach the company's standards. 

Musk also seems to forget that free speech doesn't mean it's free of consequences. Global tech companies might have long been able to influence governments of the day, but it is the law of the land, not his commercial interest, that determines what is legal and what isn't. 

For Albanese and the broader Australian political class, this too is about standing up to "the man".

The government sees a political virtue in pushing back against Musk and his platform, which has repeatedly been found to foster a toxic discourse. They've determined that the spreading of a terrorist act is a bridge too far in the public's eyes. 

Labor likely sees another use for this scandal. It's been threatening greater action against the social media platforms to curb the spread of misinformation. This unrelated scandal offers cover for advancing new laws against the tech giants. 

It's little wonder Meta, knowing the threat it is facing, was  so keen to be seen to have followed Inman Grant's orders . (Also, did someone say schadenfreude?).

The former US president Theodore Roosevelt is often quoted as saying you can go a long way if you "speak softly and carry a big stick".

It's a sentiment that embodies the American-born Inman Grant's approach to her tenure as eSafety commissioner.

Inman Grant is a former senior official at Twitter. She knows X's soft underbelly and has repeatedly shown an ability to find the spot to inflict pain on the company when it fails to meet community standards. 

Her job comes with enforceable powers which means if the companies don't answer her questions, they face daily fines in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. It's these powers that have allowed her to accuse X of failing to police hate and failing to meet anti-child-abuse standards .

That big stick that Inman Grant carries has brought with it not just shame but financial pain for Musk's X.

He's now taken to calling her the "Australian censorship commissar", a move straight out of Donald Trump's playbook to dismiss her as a Communist or Soviet party official.

Having touched a nerve, Musk might not be the only one wearing a badge of honour. 

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Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Richard Chang

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