Elon Musk Is Still Attempting To Defend Hateful Speech Amid X's Growing Pains And Public Backlash: Report

After acquiring X, formerly Twitter, Elon Musk is on a mission to redefine the boundaries of free speech on the digital platform.

Musk's strategy, unfolding over a year since his takeover, aims to champion a wide range of speech, though critics argue it favors speech he aligns with while sidelining dissenting voices.

"It’s actually good that I’m reading some things that offend me because that means freedom of speech is alive," Musk said this past week during an X audio event, sharing his vision for the platform's future.

The Wall Street Journal reported that this philosophy underpins the billionaire entrepreneur's dual approach: safeguarding users' rights to express themselves without repercussions and combating critics who label X as a hub for hate speech. 

However, this stance has not been without controversy.

Organizations like the American Civil Liberties Union have accused X of attempting to suppress free speech. Moreover, Musk's aggressive defense of free expression has raised concerns among supporters about potential backlash affecting his other ventures, notably Tesla Inc TSLA.

“Doxing is not strictly speaking illegal, but it does impinge upon freedom of speech,” Musk said during the X audio event. “There’s a lot of people if they say something, they may get fired or ostracized and so I think there’s value to a nom de plume.”

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Musk's support for free speech echoes the techno-libertarian ideals of his early Silicon Valley days. However, he seems surprised by the backlash from the free market, especially from advertisers like Apple Inc. and Disney, who are withdrawing their ads due to concerns about hate speech.

In response, Musk has not held back, going as far as accusing companies of blackmail for pulling their advertisements and calling for the firing of Disney's CEO, Bob Iger. Beyond verbal rebukes, Musk has taken legal action against entities like the Center for Countering Digital Hate, challenging their critiques of X's content moderation practices.

Amid these battles, Musk has also pledged support for individuals facing repercussions for their online expressions, offering to cover legal expenses for users like actress Gina Carano, who alleged wrongful termination by Disney over her social media posts.

The debate over doxing and anonymity on X further complicates Musk's tenure, with policies aimed at protecting users' identities sparking discussions on the balance between free speech and accountability.

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This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

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