Elon Musk is no stranger to controversy and media headlines. And the entrepreneur is once again in the spotlight for one of his latest moves.
The media caught wind of a story from a Twitter account dedicated to tracking mundane things, like private jets, posting that the account was allegedly shadowbanned on Twitter after publishing a series of posts about Musk’s private jet activity.
The account, which has since been restored, was created to track private jets, especially billionaires, and had more than 40,000 followers. It posted information about Musk’s private jet activity and whereabouts, including his travel to and from Russia, which it claimed had been previously unreported.
At the same time, Musk had become a champion of free speech and anti-censorship, often taking to platforms such as Twitter to spread his views on the matter.
As the story spread, many questioned what could be the motivating force behind the account’s shadowban. One of the theories suggested that Musk, in an effort to be an anti-censorship crusader, may have felt that by having the account shadowbanned, he was sending a message to other tech giants that may be censoring content.
Others have come to his defense, stating that a private jet activity tracking account does not have a place on a public platform, and should have its own dedicated app or website. These defenders accused the account of using Twitter for profiteering, which is prohibited on the platform.
Wherever you stand on the issue, it is clear Musk is no stranger to controversy. This incident serves as a reminder of the power tech giants have when it comes to content moderation, and what can happen when authorities overstep their bounds. It also raises questions about the grey area between free speech and censorship that is still not entirely clear.
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