News/Commentary

Elon Musk pans Twitter over free speech, asks ‘is a new platform needed’ … followers have a better idea

March 27, 2022 | | Print Article

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Free-speech advocates have made it known that they are very enthusiastic about the world’s richest man bringing Twitter under new ownership or perhaps creating a new platform altogether.

Elon Musk, the visionary and sometimes controversial or quirky entrepreneur who is the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, got the ball rolling on Friday when he took a poll of his nearly 80 million followers on Twitter.

The billionaire has previously described himself as a free speech absolutist.

“Free speech is essential to a functioning democracy,” Musk tweeted. “Do you believe Twitter rigorously adheres to this principle?” Then he followed this up with “The consequences of this poll will be important. Please vote carefully.”

With about two million responses, 70 percent voted no to his question.

On Saturday, Musk transmitted additional social media messaging that inspired many to encourage him to move forward.

“Given that Twitter serves as the de facto public town square, failing to adhere to free speech principles fundamentally undermines democracy. What should be done?,” he asked. He also wondered “Is a new platform needed?,” an inquiry which sparked the imagination of many of his followers.

When asked if he would consider building a new social media platform, Musk replied that he was “giving serious thought to this.”

Far-left Big Tech has often been accused of selective and ideology-based enforcement of its often-vague terms and conditions against those on the right, and even in the center, as part of the broader cancel culture.

Those who don’t conform to a corporatist and globalist agenda have found themselves suspended or banned outright. Allegations of “misinformation,” among others, have generally become a catchall justification.

Twitter has also been accused of throttling or shadow banning disfavored tweets or accounts or artificially making some topics trend.

Several platforms have obviously emerged that are trying to gain traction as Twitter alternatives. Trump’s new communication channel, Truth Social, is currently experiencing a slow rollout.

Many armchair First Amendments experts or would-be experts on social media insist that a private company like YouTube can make its own access rules.

If, however, a Big Tech network operates as an arm of the government, such as in an effort to suppress political opposition to the Biden administration, constitutional freedom of speech protection arguably would apply.

“Twitter previously took part in the widespread effort to suppress the New York Post’s bombshell reporting about Hunter Biden’s laptop in the final weeks of the 2020 presidential election, which was authenticated by The New York Times last week,” Fox Business observed.

According to some opinion polls, tamping down the Hunter Biden scandal had an impact on the 2020 presidential election outcome.

As alluded to above, many influencers and others are implicitly telling Musk that it’s go time for him to cut a check. Here is a sampling:

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