Billionaire and X CEO Elon Musk reinstated the social media account of right-wing extremist Alex Jones, as he reversed the 2018 decision made by the platform’s former management. Jones was banned from X for repeatedly violating rules against harassment and hate.
In an initiative to get him back on the platform, Musk started an unscientific poll on the platform. Musk asked users in the poll whether Jones should be reinstated. Of the 20 million respondents, about 70% voted “yes.”
Related: Elon Musk Wants Disney To Fire Bob Iger. Here’s Why
Who Is Alex Jones And Why Was His Twitter Account Reinstated?
On Sunday morning, Musk announced the poll results. “The people have spoken and so it shall be,” he said, confirming that Jones would be brought back to the platform. The decision has already started drawing criticism from social media users.
Jones was infamous for spreading misinformation and was therefore banned from X in 2018, along with other accounts linked to his website, Infowars. One of his most popular blunders involves him suggesting that the Sandy Hook massacre was a hoax. The rumor at the time led the court to order him to pay over $1 billion in damages to the victims’ families.
The billionaire made the decision to reinstate Jones’ account as part of a practice that he has adopted since acquiring X for $44 billion last year. Before Jones, Musk also notably reinstated ex-president and Republican Donald Trump’s account.
In case you missed it: Elon Musk Warns Taylor Swift After Her Time Magazine ‘Person Of The Year’ Cover. Here’s What He Said
Elon Musk Says “Principles Matter More Than Money”
Elon Musk has recently been in trouble for his alleged antisemitic actions on the social media platform. Besides, after the billionaire took over, X has reportedly seen a surge in hate speech and conspiracy theories.
After Musk’s own blunder over the antisemitic remarks, a huge number of advertisers have abandoned the platform, citing concerns about brand safety and hate speech.
While he himself has acknowledged that reinstating Jones would be “bad for X financially,” Musk said that “principles matter more than money.” He has been portraying himself as a free speech absolutist, and yet taking action to limit the speech of his critics.
You might also like to read: Elon Musk Feuds With Paris Hilton After Her Brands Withdraw Advertisements On X
