Twitter Under Musk: Navigating the Free Speech Paradox
Elon Musk, a figure synonymous with boundary-pushing ventures like Tesla and SpaceX, took the helm of Twitter just shy of a year ago. His acquisition was accompanied by grand proclamations of free speech principles, promises that echoed through the microblogging site. Yet, a stark shift in censorship policies under Musk's stewardship has come to light, casting a shadow over his proclaimed commitment to unfettered expression. In a stark departure from Musk's early declaration that he would only comply with governmental censorship "at gunpoint," recent reports indicate that Twitter has become more compliant with the demands of various administrations since Musk took the reins. According to Spanish newspaper El Pais, the social media giant has approved 83% more censorship requests from governments such as Turkey and India compared to the period before Musk's takeover in October last year.