Now that Telsa CEO Elon Musk’s offer to buy Twitter has been accepted, the same crowd that told conservatives to “build your own Twitter” if they didn’t like the content moderation policies is melting down.
Musk tweeted on Tuesday, “The extreme antibody reaction from those who fear free speech says it all.”
The extreme antibody reaction from those who fear free speech says it all
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 26, 2022
His tweet, of course, comes after Twitter’s board announced that it accepted his offer to buy the company.
It didn’t take long for users to start publicly declaring their intention to leave Twitter due to concerns that Musk will let people “say what they want.”
Musk did clarify that he believes in free speech as it “matches the law,” and that he is “against censorship that goes far beyond the law.”
Twitter is the only social platform that I still use, and there is so much good in it. Every day I have many wonderful interactions with people here. But a Twitter owned by Musk is so abhorrent to me that I don't feel like I can be a part of it.
— Thomas Baekdal (@baekdal) April 25, 2022
This makes me absolutely furious!
https://twitter.com/AdrienneLaw/status/1518590235503783940
So if/when Elon Musk takes control of Twitter and turns it into a malevolent mouthpiece, where should Democrats and Progressives go for free speech on social media? An existing site or do we start our own? pic.twitter.com/XmHYBowTeQ
— Nikki Finke (@NikkiFinke) April 25, 2022
When an oligarch buys a communication platform to distribute rightwing propaganda that's not democracy.
— Jennifer Mercieca (@jenmercieca) April 25, 2022
Gulp. https://t.co/qTqm5Y8TIS
— Max Boot 🇺🇦🇺🇸 (@MaxBoot) April 25, 2022
This is ironic coming from the same side that told conservatives they should build their own social media companies if they don’t like Twitter or Facebook’s content moderation policies.
In fact, when someone suggested to The Washington Post’s Max Boot that people opposed to Musk buying the company should build their own Twitter, the columnist responded, “I’d rather Elon Musk build his own and leave this one alone.”
Most conservatives would probably agree that threats of violence and pornography do not have a place on social media platforms.
And companies do have a right to moderate content on their platforms.
But Musk is right. We’ve seen that there is a certain population in the U.S. that views certain beliefs or ideas as too dangerous, outlandish, or offensive to even see or hear and engage with.
The left has pushed to kick conservatives off of Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube because they despise what the other side has to say. While they decry conservative echo chambers, they create their own online liberal echo chamber and a safe space where they don’t have to encounter an opposing view.
They believe that they are right and people who disagree with them are wrong and, in some cases, maybe even actual troglodytes. And they are afraid of letting people they disagree with share their views and potentially win people over.
Of course, both liberals and conservatives have groups of crazies that believe in wild conspiracy theories.
Part of living in a free and open society requires hearing different ideas, challenging assumptions, and debating our differences. And historically, societies that do not tolerate dissent do not have the best track records.
Words can’t hurt people and it should not be so upsetting to see someone say that there are only two genders, or another person claim that there are 50.
Instead of just trying to shut down ideas you disagree with, take a risk and debate someone. Maybe you’re right, and maybe it turns out that the belief you grew up with or developed in college is just wrong.
But if liberals just flock to Twitter and conservatives just flock to Truth Social — or whatever platform — and stop talking to each other, then both sides will be stuck in echo chambers and further prone to falsehoods and conspiracy theories.
And that will only create a doom loop that further tears at the fabric of our republic.