World’s richest man Elon Musk campaigns for ‘free speech’ on social media

SpaceX founder Elon Musk has set Twitter tongues wagging as he hints at a new business venture set to threaten tech giants.

Elon Musk has hinted at the possibility of starting up his own social media company — or possibly buying Twitter.

He sparked a conversation on freedom of speech after asking his Twitter followers: “Is a new platform needed?”

The world’s richest man pinned the question to his Twitter profile on Sunday, two days after he posted a poll asking if his followers thought Twitter “rigorously adheres” to the principle of free speech.

At the time of creating the poll, the Tesla and SpaceX founder said: “The consequences of this poll will be important. Please vote carefully.”

He later tweeted, “Seize the memes of production!”

Seize the memes of production!

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 27, 2022

Billionaire Elon Musk has hinted at starting up his own social media platform. Picture: Patrick Pleul/AFP

Recently, Musk, 50, has been using the Twitter platform to question its own value, with another poll asking if people thought the Twitter algorithm should be an open source, as well as a tweet with a quote from J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers which said: “There’s some good in this world, Mr Frodo, and it’s worth fighting for.”

Speculation is now rife that the eccentric billionaire (soon to be trillionaire, if predictions are correct) will throw his astronaut’s helmet into the social media ring, particularly after this reply to a tweet asking him if he would consider building a new platform where propaganda was minimal and free speech was given top priority.

Am giving serious thought to this

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 27, 2022

Musk simply replied: “Am giving serious thought to this.”

A prolific Twitter user himself, it is unclear what prompted Musk’s questioning of the platform’s adherence to freedom of speech.

He did, however question its place in society and the duties that brings.

“Given that Twitter serves as the de facto public town square, failing to adhere to free speech principles fundamentally undermines democracy,” he wrote in yet another tweet on the subject. “What should be done?”

As expected, Musk’s conversation starter brought back a lot of opinions among the Twitter-verse.

A new platform is needed or a complete change of the management at this one - with everyone given a “second chance” on their banned accounts.

We need a wealthy man who believes in free speech to help us out. Do you know someone @ElonMusk? 😉

— Lavern Spicer (@lavern_spicer) March 26, 2022

We need a new platform but one that’s not a right wing echo chamber. I want to hear all perspective not one side

— Jake Shields (@jakeshieldsajj) March 26, 2022

Stop dude. Twitter isn’t the government. The first amendment only applies to the government.

— Can't Beat JashSmash (@JashSmash) March 26, 2022

I’m on Twitter and Parler and others, but Twitter is still my go to. It’s established…it has both sides…it just needs to stop canceling people. That’s the problem with it.

— Brian Wesbury (@wesbury) March 26, 2022

Humans will inevitably ruin whatever the new one is, too.

— yannispappas (@yannispappas) March 26, 2022

Seize the memes of production!

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 27, 2022

Plenty of other users suggested Musk should buy Twitter himself.

One replied to Musk, “Please buy Twitter and make it better,” while another wrote, “Buy Twitter and fix it.

Another person suggested instead Musk should buy Twitter just to shut it down.

Meanwhile, some pointed out major flaws in a social media platform that has no restrictions.

“Just like Tesla cars need to be on roads with traffic lights, Twitter must play the role of putting up the traffic lights in social media discourse. Free speech should not mean giving people the right to spew toxicity and hate. Use your influence to help Twitter get better,” one user replied.

Another wrote: “Zero restrictions? Good luck. Extreme violent threats. Extreme hate speech. This issue has been put to the test – it’s not simple and anyone that has to actually deal with it, knows that.”