Entrepreneur Elon Musk hinted on Saturday that he may launch a new social media platform to take on Twitter after suggesting that Twitter “fundamentally undermines democracy” because it does not protect freedom of speech.
Musk conducted an informal poll on Twitter on Friday, which stated: “Free speech is essential to a functioning democracy. Do you believe Twitter rigorously adheres to this principle?”
More than 2 million people responded to the poll with 70.4% saying that Twitter did not adhere to the principle.
“The consequences of this poll will be important,” Musk continued. “Please vote carefully.”
Musk followed up on the poll on Saturday, writing: “Given that Twitter serves as the de facto public town square, failing to adhere to free speech principles fundamentally undermines democracy. What should be done?”
“Is a new platform needed?” he asked.
Is a new platform needed?
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 26, 2022
“Buy twitter,” political commentator Mike Cernovich responded. “If you’re a leftist making death threats against conservatives. or organizing riots, Twitter respects your freedom of speech. Twitter also respects the freedom of speech for media hoaxes like when every major outlet framed an innocent Covington high school kid.”
Musk responded, “Doesn’t sound very balanced.”
Doesn’t sound very balanced
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 26, 2022
Musk conducted another informal poll on Twitter on Thursday in which he asked if “Twitter[’s] algorithm should be open source.”
More than 1.1 million people responded to that poll with 82.7% saying, “Yes.”
“I’m worried about de facto bias in ‘the Twitter algorithm’ having a major effect on public discourse,” Musk continued. “How do we know what’s really happening?”
Musk recently came out and objected to the censoring of Russian media outlets in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“Starlink has been told by some governments (not Ukraine) to block Russian news sources,” Musk tweeted. “We will not do so unless at gunpoint. Sorry to be a free speech absolutist.”
Musk said last week that SpaceX’s Starlink satellite broadband service was now available in Ukraine with more terminals en route to the country following a request from Mykhailo Fedorov, the Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine, who tweeted: “@elonmusk, while you try to colonize Mars — Russia try to occupy Ukraine! While your rockets successfully land from space — Russian rockets attack Ukrainian civil people! We ask you to provide Ukraine with Starlink stations and to address sane Russians to stand.”
“Starlink service is now active in Ukraine,” Musk responded. “More terminals en route.”
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