When Elon Musk acquires Twitter, he will lift the social media platform’s ban on former US President Donald Trump, the clearest hint yet of Musk’s aim to reduce moderation on the site.
Musk, the world’s richest man and CEO of electric vehicle maker Tesla Inc (TSLA.O), has agreed to buy Twitter Inc for $44 billion (TWTR.N).
He has described himself as a “free speech absolutist,” but he has provided little specifics about his objectives.
Musk is set to become Twitter’s interim CEO after the acquisition closes, according to Reuters, which cited a source familiar with the situation.
The question of Trump’s reinstatement has been viewed as a litmus test for how far Musk will go in making changes, despite the fact that Trump has stated that he will not return.
Twitter, like other US-based social media platforms, has banned a number of people for violating its policies on misinformation and violence glorification.
Musk told a Financial Times conference that he and Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey believe permanent bans should be “extremely rare” and reserved for accounts that run bots or spread spam.
Musk stated that “wrong and bad” tweets should be deleted or made invisible, and that a temporary account suspension may be appropriate. “Permabans fundamentally undermine trust in Twitter as a town square where everyone can express themselves.”
Musk claimed that the move to ban Trump boosted Trump’s popularity among conservatives, and he labelled the ban “morally incorrect and flat-out foolish.”
Trump’s account, which had more than 88 million followers, was suspended days before his term ended, putting an end to years of dispute about how social media companies should manage the accounts of strong world leaders.
Shortly after the attack on the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, Trump was permanently suspended from Twitter. In making its judgement, Twitter cited “the potential of future instigation of violence.”
A permanent ban from mainstream networks, or de-platforming, according to Megan Squire, a senior fellow for data analytics at the Southern Poverty Law Center, has been a successful technique in restricting the reach of abusive messaging and behaviours.
Musk has approved some restrictions, telling a European Union official on Monday that EU policy on policing unlawful content was “perfectly matched” with his own thoughts.
SHOULD BE EVERYWHERE
Conservatives have hailed Trump’s return to Twitter, claiming that the San Francisco-based platform is biassed against right-wing ideas. When asked about Musk’s remarks, Republican Senator Rick Scott told reporters that Trump “needs to visit everywhere he can.” “There should be no social media businesses that limit people’s capacity to spread their ideas.” Senator Roy Blunt, a retiring establishment Republican, was one of numerous Republicans who stated that they had no comment on Trump’s return to Twitter. Blount smiled as he remarked, “But I assume that’s a solid business choice on (Musk’s) part.”
Democrats have warned that Trump’s re-election would be a threat to democracy, however some Democrats hope that Trump’s re-election will enrage their base and boost turnout in the November midterm elections, when Democrats face severe hurdles keeping their majority in both houses of Congress. Twitter was unavailable for comment. Trump earlier stated on Fox News that if allowed, he would not return to Twitter. continue reading Truth Social, his own social media app, was released in late February on the Apple app store. Trump has stepped up his messaging on the new platform after a poor start, publishing to his 2.7 million followers roughly 50 times in the previous week. When he was president, he sent out an average of 18 tweets every day.
A Trump spokeswoman did not respond immediately. Twitter’s ban on Trump, according to White House press secretary Jen Psaki, is a matter for the corporation to decide. According to her, the Biden administration wants web platforms to maintain free expression while also ensuring that they are not used to spread misinformation. Musk claimed during the conference that in the “best-case scenario,” the agreement to buy Twitter could be completed in two to three months. Earlier on Tuesday, Twitter shares plummeted to a level that suggested the stock market did not anticipate Musk would complete the $44 billion acquisition as planned. Musk’s decision to purchase Twitter has alarmed some Tesla shareholders and placed downward pressure on the stock.
Musk also stated on Tuesday that he will remain at Tesla “as long as I can be useful.”
