What To Expect After Elon Musk Takes Over Twitter
Elon Musk’s blockbuster Twitter acquisition has left the internet busy with speculations and expert opinions, but the reality is that it is hard to predict exactly which direction the social media platform is headed. Musk has made some bold promises to improve Twitter recently, but most of these come with certain caveats. At the top of the Tesla chief’s Twitter overhaul agenda is a push for free speech. Musk has made it clear that he doesn’t care about the economics of his nearly $44 billion purchase. During his TED interview in April, he boldly proclaimed that free speech is extremely important for the future of civilization and that he will do his best to turn Twitter into a town square where free speech is valued above all else.
However, free speech is a slippery slope that depends as much on balanced moderation policies as on complying with local laws in different parts of the globe. One of the key concerns that experts have voiced is that free speech absolutism means allowing content from all sides of an ideology to flourish on the platform. But balancing what can be termed as fair criticism in the U.S. and seditious for regimes with tight control over citizen discourse is going to be a nightmare. Arguments that sound self-defensive to one group might end up unleashing violence on another.
Related: Musk Should Help Solve World Hunger Before Buying Twitter
That’s only half the problem. Adopting an uninhibited approach to free speech also means Twitter will either have to spend more resources on content moderation or risk undoing the work that it has done in the past few years. As per a report from Reuters, Musk told bankers that he will undertake some cost-cutting measures to steer Twitter on a path of fat revenues.
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