“I hope even my worst critics stay on Twitter, because that’s what free speech means.” This tweet, published Monday April 25 and signed Elon Musk himself, left more than one speechless. Because by buying the social network for 44 billion dollars, what is really in mind new owner? Behind this financial operation, abuses are feared.
The richest man on the planet, followed by 83 million people, intends to shake up the little blue bird. In the past, he has indeed often regretted that Twitter moderators go “too far” and “intervene too much”, remember The New York Times* . This is what he hastened to repeat in his press release* announcing the takeover: according to him, “freedom of speech is the foundation of a functioning democracy, and Twitter is the digital public square where issues vital to the future of humanity are debated.” It is moreover to be the only master on board that he proposes to withdraw the social network from companies listed on the stock exchange in the United States. A decision that would allow the platform to escape any external control.
A few days before the finalization of the takeover, Marianne aptly described Elon Musk as a “free speech absolutist” who “would unlock the potential of Twitter” leaving people “to speak freely within the bounds of the law”. “But since racist and anti-Semitic speech, or the dissemination of private information are legal in the United States, this kind of remarks could again be authorized on Twitter.notes the weekly.
In an interview with The gallery, Iesearcher Olivier Ertzscheid, specialist in new technologies at the University of Nantes, can only confirm. “It must be understood that there are two conceptions of freedom of expression. The first, rather American, is radical: freedom is above all, which means that any point of view, whatever it is , can be expressed in the public space. Including, therefore, a racist, xenophobic, anti-Semitic point of view or the dissemination of ‘fake news’. The second conception, rather European and French, is that there is legal limits to what can be said in the public space.”
In other words, the freedom of speech the way Elon Musk should be “total”, sums up the academic. The user must be able to write whatever he wants, without limits, regardless of “Recent history has demonstrated that social media algorithms are not neutral and can have a major negative impact on democratic life, everywhere from the United States to India to Uyghurs in China, or in Europe.”
Moreover, Elon Musk did not wait to take control of Twitter to say everything that goes through his head. He jokes, provokes, criticizes, makes fun… No later than Saturday, April 23, the entrepreneur published a grossophobic photo montage comparing Bill Gates to a pregnant man. It was accompanied by the following caption: “In case you need to end an erection quickly”.
Three weeks after the start of the war in Ukraine, he offered to challenge Russian President Vladimir Putin to a fight “man to man”. In March 2020, he called “dumb” the panic caused in people by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The coronavirus panic is dumb
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 6, 2020
The list is still long. And “Elon Musk has never been banned, or even temporarily suspended from Twitter for all of these remarks”recalls The HuffPost. After all, why would he be? According to the boss of Tesla, “the policies of social media platforms are good if the most extreme 10% on the left and right are equally unhappy”, he wrote in a tweet on April 19.
A social media platform’s policies are good if the most extreme 10% on left and right are equally unhappy
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 19, 2022
By concluding this deal, “Elon Musk has a political project in mind”points out on franceinfo Olivier Lascar, the editor-in-chief of the digital division of Sciences and Future-Research. With Twitter, Elon Musk buys himself in reality “an instrument of influence”, a mass communication weapon which allows him to“to have the ear of politicians and perhaps to find friendships” necessary for its development.
Starting with a certain Donald Trump. The former American president, banned for life from Twitter after the assault on the Capitol in Washington in January 2021, could he reappear there? The person concerned assured FoxNews, mondayu he would not return, despite the arrival of Elon Musk. Nevertheless: the handling ofa social network by the boss of Tesla and SpaceX worries the American political world. “This deal is dangerous to our democracy. Billionaires like Elon Musk play by a different set of rules than everyone else, hoarding power for their own benefit. We need a wealth tax and tough rules so that big tech is responsible for its actions”for example denounced the Democratic senator Elizabeth Warren.
This deal is dangerous for our democracy. Billionaires like Elon Musk play by a different set of rules than everyone else, accumulating power for their own gain. We need a wealth tax and strong rules to hold Big Tech accountable.
—Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) April 25, 2022
Similar reaction from the president of the civil rights organization NAACP. “Mr. Musk, freedom of speech is wonderful, hate speech unacceptable. Disinformation, misinformation and hate speech have NO PLACE on Twitter, warns Derrick Johnson in a press release*. Don’t allow [Donald Trump] to get back on the platform… Protecting our democracy is of the utmost importance, especially as we approach the midterm elections [en novembre]. Mr. Musk, lives are at risk, and so is American democracy.”
In another press release*, the co-director of the NGO Free Press does not mince words either. “Elon Musk himself used Twitter and other platforms to attack and silence other people. He spread misinformation about the Covid-19 and vaccines. He used Twitter to manipulate the markets and increase his already considerable fortune.
When he hears someone presenting Elon Musk as a great defender of freedoms, Olivier Lascar tells this anecdote. “Dn the past, Elon Musk has already demonstrated that freedom of expression has its limits in its conception, would like to highlight the journalist, still on franceinfo. At SpaceX, he is the only one who has the right to speak, or his number 2. A surfer had fun referencing the flights of his private jet and publishing them in the comments of Elon Musk’s own tweets for show that he had a not very virtuous behavior in terms of greenhouse gas emissions.” The story ended like this: the billionaire ended up blocking the Internet user on the social network.
* All links followed by an asterisk lead to content in English.