The NCF explores the impact of Elon Musk’s Twitter acquisition on the platform’s commitment to free speech. The following article represents the personal views of the author Mr Taha Emre Altundağ, Research Officer at the Next Century Foundation. It is intended for discussion and analysis.

With his larger-than-life presence, Elon Musk is not merely another billionaire who enjoys his wealth in silence and avoids controversy. Since his $44 billion X (formerly Twitter) takeover, Musk’s influence has extended far beyond business and technology. He is now a key figure in shaping discussions on free speech, Donald Trump’s second presidential term, and international politics.

Musk’s notorious takeover of X began with the dismissal of over 80% of the employees, including the top executives, and soon he announced “the bird is freed”. He insists that “free speech is the bedrock of democracy,” but how does that principle hold up when a multi-billionaire with government ties controls one of the world’s largest social media platforms? From the spread of disinformation to the monetisation of engagement-driven content, X has drifted far from being an open forum for democratic debate.

X’s Regulation Rules and “Freedom Fridays”

Following the takeover, X has allowed Elon Musk to determine who has a voice on the platform. By reinstating accounts that were previously banned, he presents himself as a defender of free speech. However, the platform’s changing policies are concerning when it comes to misinformation and hate speech, as well as extremist content spreading under the label of free expression.

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

U.S. Bill of Rights. U.S. Const. amend. I

Elon Musk often cites the First Amendment to justify his approach to regulating content on X. U.S. law does not criminalise hate speech, and acknowledges that government regulation risks suppressing democratic dialogue. Instead, the U.S. citizens are expected to counter hate speech by any means they choose. For this reason, Musk has framed content moderation as censorship. In most democratic countries, however, free speech is subject to legal boundaries that restrict harassment, hate speech, and incitement to violence. 

Before Musk’s takeover, Twitter had enforced moderation rules since 2009, gradually evolving to address “hateful conduct.” Although bans related to hate speech or opinion may seem foreign to Americans, Twitter, as a signatory to the EU’s Code of Conduct on Illegal Hate Speech Online, sought to maintain a safe online community.

According to Twitter’s Rules, President Trump was banned due to “the risk of further incitement of violence” after the 2021 U.S. Capitol riots. Elon Musk regarded President Trump’s 2021 ban as a violation of free speech and reinstated his account upon acquiring Twitter. Following President Trump, Elon Musk’s “Freedom Fridays” saw the unbanning of users like Dr. Jordan B. Peterson, Kanye West, and Andrew Tate.

Peterson was suspended for refusing to use the correct name of transgender actor Elliot Page. Tate, a self-proclaimed misogynist with rape and sexual assault charges, was banned in 2017 after stating that women “should bear responsibility” for sexual assaults. Kanye West, meanwhile, was banned for his antisemitic tweets.

Elon Musk’s policy on verification badges, the blue check, also poses a serious threat to the credibility of content shared on X. Before Musk’s acquisition, Twitter reserved the blue-check badge for influential figures, companies, and organisations to verify the authenticity of accounts, helping users distinguish official information. Just a month after his takeover, Musk announced in an X post that Twitter’s “lords & peasants system” had come to an end, with promises of “power to the people.” Under the new policy, anyone willing to subscribe to X Premium for £8.00 per month can obtain the blue checkmark, which allows verification-badge display to unverified sources.

The European Commission has criticised the platform’s pay-to-verify system, stating that allowing anyone to obtain a blue check through Premium Membership constitutes a “breach of the Digital Services Act (DSA)” of the EU. According to the official report, “since anyone can subscribe to obtain such a ‘verified’ status, it negatively affects users’ ability to make free and informed decisions about the authenticity of the accounts and the content they interact with.” The report also claims evidence that malicious actors have exploited the verification system to deceive users.

Elon Musk’s acquisition also led to the disbandment of the platform’s Trust and Safety Council, a voluntary advisory group with experts on human rights, child safety and online safety. The council played a key role in advising Twitter on content moderation policies, particularly regarding harmful speech and misinformation. With its disbandment, concerns grew over the platform’s ability to effectively address online harassment and extremist content.

Academic research indicates that hate speech and various types of bots doubled following Elon Musk’s takeover. Another study found a significant rise in transphobic, racist, and homophobic tweets among English-language content. Elon Musk’s regulation practices seem to create an increasingly hostile space for marginalised communities.

As a regulation strategy, Elon Musk supports the practice of shadowbanning, allowing content to be uploaded while limiting its reach through the algorithm, rather than account banning or content removal. He argues that this approach preserves the right to free speech and prevents harmful content from gaining digital engagement. To promote transparency on regulation, X releases scheduled reports on content moderation, though critics argue that these reports lack sufficient detail or independent oversight.

However, Elon Musk has faced allegations of making biased decisions regarding shadowbanning, with some users and analysts pointing out inconsistencies in how content is suppressed. Some speculate that he has even shadowbanned Grimes, his ex-partner and the mother of his son X Æ A-12. These claims are concerning that content moderation on X is influenced by personal and political interests rather than clear and consistent policies.

Elon Musk’s Digital Influence

Elon Musk’s personal X account is a platform for aggressive voices in US politics. His frequent anti-woke and anti-liberal posts, where he actively criticises diversity initiatives, progressive policies, and the so-called “legacy/mainstream media” helped him gain the support of right-wing conservative Republicans. However, his digital presence may not just be ideological, there is also a chance that they serve to maintain engagement on X, driving traffic and monetisation through rage-baiting.

On social media, rage-baiting is when users deliberately post provocative content to trigger users, typically to cause outrage. These posts are intended to gain engagement in the form of replies, shares, and quote tweets, which ultimately boost a user’s visibility on the platform. Under Elon Musk’s ownership, X has monetised rage-baiting by introducing a revenue model that rewards users based on impressions. This means the more reactions a post receives, the more money its creator can earn. As a result, outrage has become a profitable commodity on X, and sensationalism takes precedence over meaningful discussions or factual accuracy.

Although Elon Musk’s controversial posts on X already have significant engagement, he also utilises his ownership of the platform to feature his own content. Since the start of the presidential campaigns and his endorsement of President Trump in July 2024, Musk’s posts have seen a significant increase in engagement and reach. Data from The Conversation indicates that his posts experienced a surge in visibility after his endorsement. Additionally, a Fortune study found that Musk’s political posts appear in users’ feeds at least twice per session, regardless of whether they follow him or engage with his content. 

The inconsistencies and potential manipulation of X’s algorithm are being investigated under the EU’s previously mentioned DSA breach report. If found guilty, the platform could face “fines of up to 6% of the total worldwide annual turnover.” The EU is increasing pressure on Musk and X to comply with DSA and ensure equal regulations for users. These claims regarding X’s algorithm contradicts Musk’s proclaimed commitment to free speech and equal expression. While Musk and pro-Republican accounts have the loudest voice in an emerging echo chamber, opposition voices face suppression and shadowbanning. Musk hopes that even his worst critics remain on X because they too have the freedom of speech, yet the platform’s algorithmic bias tells a different story.

Elon Musk in US Politics

In 2017, Elon Musk posted on then-Twitter, “Am departing presidential councils. Climate change is real. Leaving Paris is not good for America or the world,” after the US withdrawal from the 2015 Paris climate agreement. Following his initial criticism, Musk emerged years later as a vocal supporter of Donald Trump during his 2024 presidential campaign, and helped him “make America great again”. Musk has used X to amplify right-wing discourse, and even shared an altered fake video of Kamala Harris during the election campaigns.

Elon Musk’s strong opposition to “wokeism” aligns closely with President Trump’s anti-woke, and anti-DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusivity) stance. Both regard these progressive policies as harmful to America’s social dynamics and cultural heritage.

Beyond ideology, Musk’s alignment with Trump is also a calculated business move. Trump’s past efforts toward deregulation and privatisation have benefited corporate giants, and Musk’s industries are more likely to benefit due to the government ties he established.

Tesla’s customer base has traditionally leaned liberal due to its association with clean energy, but Musk’s rightward shift resulted in efforts among conservatives to rally behind him. Due to his far-right actions and posts, Tesla is not facing protests in the US, and in Europe by people who “bought Tesla before we knew Elon went crazy.”

While President Trump plans to reverse Joe Biden’s electric vehicle program, he personally purchased a Tesla car and turned the White House lawn into a Tesla showroom as an attempt to show his support. As Musk continues to position himself as a leading figure in conservative circles, his businesses will see shifting consumer dynamics influenced by political loyalties.

President Trump also benefits from his alliance with Elon Musk. Musk’s takeover of X has, in many ways, serves as a model for President Trump’s second term in the White House. From mass firings and corporate rebranding to promoting a selective version of free speech, Musk’s strategy mirrors Trump’s current approach to governance: dismantling institutions, prioritising financial interests over public demands, and reshaping narratives to serve his agenda.

These policies primarily come through the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) established in 2025 under the Executive Office of the President. This entity aims “to implement the President’s DOGE Agenda, by modernizing Federal technology and software to maximize governmental efficiency and productivity,” but in reality, it allows Elon Musk to enjoy a degree of political power by controlling federal funds.

Elon Musk was appointed a senior advisor to the president and assumed the role of the DOGE’ s de-facto leader. There were legal filings against Elon Musk’s DOGE leadership, although the White House claims Musk is an Oval Office employee and senior advisor to the president with no decision-making authority within DOGE.

Elon Musk’s political involvement has also shifted the culture in Silicon Valley. Once known for its largely apolitical, progressive stance, the tech industry is beginning to change. This was evident when major figures like Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew, and other big-tech leaders attended President Trump’s Inauguration Ceremony in January 2025.

Their presence was more than just symbolic. In the months following the inauguration, major tech companies have begun shifting their policies. Mark Zuckerberg’s META, for instance, has scrapped fact-checking in favor of implementing X’s open-source Community Notes system, signaling a move toward a less moderated approach.

X’s Global Influence

President Trump’s Inauguration Ceremony wasn’t only sensational for big-tech’s appearance, it also sparked controversy over Elon Musk’s so-called “Roman salute.” During the event, Musk thanked the crowd for “making it happen” before making the gesture.

Many criticised it for being a fascist/Nazi salute, while Musk’s supporters defended it as a Roman salute. Musk himself dismissed the backlash, saying, “The ‘everyone is Hitler’ attack is soooo tired.” Some speculated it could be the American “Bellamy salute,” until Musk spoke at Germany’s far-right AfD conference.

Just five days after the inauguration, Musk made a surprise appearance at an AfD campaign event in Halle, declaring that there is “too much focus on past guilt” and that Germans should take pride in being German rather than bearing the guilt of their great-grandparents’ sins.

Musk’s string of controversies, with his growing political influence, has fueled concerns about the normalisation of far-right ideologies. His support for right-wing leaders worldwide, coupled with his control over X’s algorithm, has given these figures more space to amplify their voices.

It is not only Elon Musk’s support for these leaders, he also collaborates with governments to comply with their requests to ban accounts on X, even though he wants X to be a free speech platform. 

Following the March 2025 İmamoğlu protests in Türkiye, X suspended opposition accounts in compliance with the Turkish government’s legal requests. This isn’t the first time X has restricted content in the country. During President Erdoğan’s 2023 reelection campaign, X limited access to certain posts, claiming it was necessary to “ensure Twitter remains available to the people of Turkey,” according to its global government affairs account.

Elon Musk defended the decision at the time, posting on X, “We could post what the government in Turkey sent us. Will do.” He promises that X would publicly disclose the Turkish government’s requests, though transparency around such actions remains questionable.

X has faced compliance issues with several other governments, including Brazil and India, raising questions about Elon Musk’s stance on free speech. While Musk presents himself as a protector of absolute free speech, X’s decisions suggest a more pragmatic approach.

Final Remarks

Musk’s actions prove he is not the free speech absolutist he claims to be. Instead of creating a space for open dialogue, his leadership has increased misinformation, empowered extremists, and advanced his own political and financial interests. His selective enforcement and self-serving actions suggest that his true priority is control over narratives, politics, and information. In his quest to liberate speech, he has rather built a digital empire where influence determines who gets heard.