“Right Wing Strike”
In which direction is Musk steering Twitter?
04/26/2022, 00:23
Elon Musk repeatedly accuses Twitter of restricting freedom of expression. Now the high-tech pioneer is taking over the short message service – critics fear trolls could “take over”. That would endanger the social network. Trump doesn’t want to go back there but praises Musk.
Elon Musk revolutionized the auto industry. He conquered space as a private entrepreneur. And he is now becoming one of the most important figures in the world of social networks. With the takeover of the short message service Twitter for the equivalent of 41 billion euros, the richest person in the world will, after turbulent weeks, incorporate one of the most important digital mouthpieces of all. But there are considerable doubts as to the direction in which the online platform will develop under the leadership of the equally visionary and controversial high-tech pioneer.
Avid Twitter user Musk, who has more than 83 million followers on the platform, has repeatedly accused the network of restricting freedom of expression. The 50-year-old founder of the electric car manufacturer Tesla and the aerospace company SpaceX adopts a similar tone to that of right-wing politicians who denounce alleged “censorship” by online platforms from the liberal-minded Silicon Valley.
In the past few years, Twitter had tried to take action against the spread of hate messages and misinformation – and after the storming of the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, banned then US President Donald Trump. Musk, who is always abusive about critics himself on Twitter, could put an end to such content moderation.
Friends with Trump supporter
“Musk is essentially an autocrat,” says Endpoint Technologies analyst Roger Kay. “His form of libertarianism has a touch of right-wing politics.” Kay also points to Musk’s friendship with German-born technology investor Peter Thiel, who is known as a supporter of Trump and other right-wing politicians.
Analyst Rob Enderle also warns against the capricious demeanor and leadership style with which Musk keeps making headlines. “It’s like running around with scissors in hand. Poor impulse control and too much money don’t mix well.” A policy of laissez-faire when moderating content could also ultimately harm Twitter: “The trolls take over, they become too hostile and drive people off the platform.”
Musk has promised that he wants to unleash the “extraordinary potential” of Twitter. In fact, the platform has problems with its business model and keeps disappointing in terms of user numbers and income. That’s why there are experts who assume that the South African-born multi-billionaire – currently estimated assets: around 268 billion dollars – can put the short message service back on the road to success. “Nobody can deny what Musk has achieved,” says analyst Richard Smith. “I think he could transform Twitter.”
Trump: Musk is a good man
Musk himself declared on Monday that he wanted to make Twitter “better than ever before” and not only offer new functions, but also make the platform’s algorithms public. “Freedom of expression is the bedrock of a functioning democracy. And Twitter is the digital place to debate issues fundamental to the future of humanity.”
Meanwhile, ex-President Trump, whom critics tend not to see as a guarantor of a functioning democracy, also commented on the takeover. Musk is a “good man” who can bring “improvements” to Twitter, the right-wing populist told Fox News. However, he himself does not want to return to Twitter – he only wants to use the Truth Social platform he launched himself: “I’m not going to Twitter, I’m staying with Truth.”