Elon Musk, the self-described “Technoking” bought Twitter for $44 billion on April 25, leading to wide speculation about his intentions with the social media platform.
“It’s important to the function of democracy,” Musk said in a TedX interview. “Twitter has become kind of the de facto town square. It’s really important that people have the reality and the perception that they’re able to speak freely, within the bounds of the law.”
Many are concerned about Musk’s vague definition of free speech. In the past, being a “free speech absolutist” (as Musk proudly claims to be) has been a dog-whistle for the defense of hate speech targeting marginalized groups.
But Musk has assured a watching public that “the move is not about making money or maximizing his ownership of Twitter.” His message about free speech and democracy is sympathetic, almost admirable. One should look at Musk’s own complicated past with Tesla’s racial slur allegations, a product of the company culture he influences.
Still, many far-right insurrectionists and high profile conservatives who have been banned from Twitter hope that Musk will undo what they see as unfair treatment to conservative leaning individuals. “Only a matter of time before Elon flips the switch and we get our accounts back,” one QAnon influencer wrote on social media platform Telegram.
Still, Musk’s career has been infamous for false promises.
Musk’s history of political donations contradicts his supposed support of democracy and free speech. Musk donated a total of $707,650 since becoming an American citizen in 2002, and Tesla has spent a massive $4,610,000 in lobbying since 2015. Remember, all of this includes his public donations in the United States.
Notably, it’s impossible to track the money he’s spent on diplomatic negotiations with China, for instance. One would think that a man with such conviction towards the freedom of speech and democracy would certainly not partake in something as egregiously wrong as Citizens United.
Further muddying Musk’s true philosophy regarding free speech is his complicated past with everything from illegal anti-union behavior to supporting a coup of a democratically elected president in Bolivia.
It makes sense, however, that someone like Musk would have a favorable view on an unlimited freedom of speech, with many of the things he says crossing the line from disrespectful to crude. Vanity Fair compiled a list to remind readers of a few of the things the richest man in the world has said and done.
