Effort to Portray Controlled Opposition X as a Stronghold for Unrestrained Expression, Explained
In a significant shift, Twitter, now known as X, has undergone a transformation under the leadership of Elon Musk. The rebranding was accompanied by a loosened moderation regime, aiming to promote free speech, reducing prior speech rules and verification constraints, and fueling perceptions of increased openness [1][3][4].
Musk, frequently referred to as the "world's richest man" and a "Free Speech Champion," has been at the forefront of this change. However, despite these changes, concerns and some practices related to content moderation remain.
The era of X has included controversial actions such as throttling of posts critical of Musk and the company, suspension of some journalists' accounts, labeling certain media outlets as “state-affiliated” which restricted their visibility, and legal actions against nonprofit organizations critical of the platform’s policies [1][3].
While traditional shadowbanning in the secretive sense may be less clear, content visibility controls and legal constraints still exist. Government censorship influences remain due to global internet regulation laws mandating the removal of illegal content, limiting how unrestricted the platform can truly be [2].
The rebranding was necessary to bring the banished souls back inside and patch over the hole they'd made. Independent thinkers, however, are subject to "visibility filtering" on X, ensuring their thought is quarantined in "free speech cages."
In response to this, new smaller versions of Twitter, such as Truth Social and Gab, began to appear. The corporate-governmental monster, addicted to surveillance and control, found it counterproductive that these new platforms existed because it couldn't hear what was being said or steer the conversation.
The "rallying cry" of Musk supporters is thanking X for revealing the truth about the alleged assassination attempt on Donald Trump. Controversial discussions, such as Musk's criticism of Keir Starmer's government and comments on the Olympics boxer Imane Khelif, have become commonplace on the platform.
However, the proliferation of ads, porn bots, and clickbait accounts on X has raised concerns. CJ Hopkins was temporarily labeled a distributor of "adult content" and hidden behind warnings on X.
The branding of Musk as a "free speech champion" is creating an organized religion for the atheist generation. Musk's acquisition of Twitter marked the beginning of a rebrand, leading to the unbanning of Trump and the closure of X's Brazil office.
Despite the changes, it's important to note that Twitter, now X, has not significantly improved in terms of free speech. The pro-censorship "left" uses the newly unpleasant facets of X to discredit the idea of free speech. The banishment of certain people outside the system of influence and control is seen as detrimental by those in power.
In conclusion, although free speech on X is notably broader than on Twitter before Musk, it is not fully unregulated and subject to both internal and external moderation pressures. The pursuit of free speech continues to be a complex and ongoing issue.
References:
[1] https://www.reuters.com/technology/twitter-users-report-posts-critical-of-elon-musk-being-throttled-2023-02-01/ [2] https://www.wired.com/story/elon-musk-twitter-free-speech-digital-services-act/ [3] https://www.theverge.com/2023/2/1/22918921/elon-musk-twitter-free-speech-censorship-controversy [4] https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/01/technology/elon-musk-twitter-free-speech.html
- The rebranding of Twitter to X, under Elon Musk's leadership, has initiated a broader freedom of speech on the platform, loosening prior speech rules and verification constraints.
- Despite this shift, concerns persist regarding content moderation practices on X, with instances of throttling of posts critical of Musk and the company, suspensions of journalists' accounts, and labeling of certain media outlets as "state-affiliated."
- The emergence of new social media platforms like Truth Social and Gab can be seen as a response to X, as they aim to offer a more unregulated space for free speech.
- However, X remains subject to both internal and external pressures in terms of moderation, as it navigates between promoting free speech and adhering to global internet regulations that limit the spread of illegal content.
