TheQuartering [4/29/2022]
Elon Musk said Tuesday that he is against “censorship that goes far beyond the law” as speculation grows about how the Tesla CEO will run Twitter, which he is set to acquire for $44 billion.
“The extreme antibody reaction from those who fear free speech says it all,” Musk tweeted without specifying to whom he was referring.
“By ‘free speech’, I simply mean that which matches the law. I am against censorship that goes far beyond the law,” Musk added in a later tweet. “If people want less free speech, they will ask government to pass laws to that effect. Therefore, going beyond the law is contrary to the will of the people.”
The remarks come one day after a deal was struck for Musk to buy the social media platform.
He said in a statement on Monday, “Free speech is the bedrock of a functioning democracy, and Twitter is the digital town square where matters vital to the future of humanity are debated.”
The news of Musk’s Twitter takeover has been cheered by Republicans who see the SpaceX executive as a proponent of free speech, in comparison to Democrats who slammed the billionaire’s purchase while drawing comparisons to what he reportedly pays in taxes.
Still, it is not clear how Twitter will change under Musk, including whether certain officials and politicians banned on the platform, most prominently former President Trump, could have their accounts restored.
Social media platforms have struggled in recent years to moderate and police content, with advocates saying not enough is being done to remove misinformation and hate speech.