When Elon Musk acquires Twitter, he plans to lift the social
media platform's ban on former US President Donald Trump, the strongest
indication yet of Musk's aim to reduce moderation.
Musk, the world's richest person and CEO of Tesla Inc, has
agreed to buy Twitter for $44 billion. He has described himself as a "free
speech absolutist," but he has provided little specifics about his
objectives.
According to a source familiar with the situation, Musk is
anticipated to become Twitter's interim CEO after the sale is completed.
The topic of Trump's reinstatement has been viewed as a
litmus test for Musk's willingness to reform.
Musk and Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey believe permanent
bans should be "very unusual" and reserved for users who operate bots
or disseminate spam, according to Musk, who spoke at the Financial Times Future
of the Car conference.
Musk claimed that the move to ban Trump boosted Trump's
popularity among conservatives, and he labeled the ban "morally incorrect
and flat-out foolish."
Trump's account, which had more than 88 million followers,
was suspended days before his tenure ended, putting an end to years of dispute
about how social media companies should handle the accounts of strong world
leaders.
Shortly after the melee on the US Capitol on January 6,
Trump was permanently suspended from Twitter. In making its judgment, Twitter
cited "the potential of future instigation of violence."
Musk has also stated that the platform must limit speech as
required by law, and on Monday he told a European Union official that EU policy
was "exactly aligned" with his own thinking, referring to a new law
that imposes hefty fines on companies that fail to control illegal content such
as children's advertising.
Conservatives have welcomed Trump's return, claiming that
Twitter, based in San Francisco, is biased against right-wing ideas.
When asked about Musk's remarks, Republican Senator Rick
Scott told reporters, "He (Trump) ought to be everywhere he can."
"There should be no social media businesses that limit people's capacity
to spread their ideas."
Democrats have warned that Trump's reinstatement could pose
a threat to democracy, however some believe that a constantly tweeting Trump
will enrage their base and boost turnout in November's legislative elections.
Twitter was unavailable for comment.
Trump previously told Fox News that if allowed, he would not
return to Twitter, choosing instead to use his own social media program, Truth
Social, a Twitter-like site that launched in late February and allows users to
publish "truths" rather than tweets.
Trump has stepped up his messaging on the new platform after
a poor start, publishing to his 2.7 million followers roughly 50 times in the
previous week. When he was president, he sent out an average of 18 tweets every
day.
A Trump spokeswoman did not respond immediately.
Truth Social is owned by Trump's corporation, which is
merging with the blank-check acquisition firm Digital World Acquisition Corp.
Twitter's ban on Trump, according to White House press
secretary Jen Psaki, is a matter for the corporation to decide. According to
her, the Biden administration wants web platforms to maintain free expression
while also ensuring that they are not used to spread misinformation.
Musk claimed during the conference that in the "best
case scenario," the agreement to buy Twitter could be completed in two to
three months.
Earlier on Tuesday, Twitter shares plummeted to a level that
suggested the stock market did not anticipate Musk would complete the
acquisition for $44 billion as promised.
Some Tesla investors are apprehensive about Musk's intention
to go after Twitter, putting pressure on the stock. Musk also stated on Tuesday
that he will remain at Tesla "as long as I can be useful."
