Elon Musk, the founder of Tesla, has warned that a presidency under Kamala Harris could use government power to shut down X, the social media platform he acquired for $44 billion to “protect free speech.”
In an interview with podcaster Joe Rogan, Musk discussed the platform’s future in the wake of the upcoming election.
Rogan commented on the criticism Musk has received regarding the platform’s value, noting that some claim X is worth far less than Musk paid. Musk disagreed, calling such claims misguided and accusing critics of failing to consider the impact of an advertiser boycott.
Musk described the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH), which has been a key player in the boycott, as a “scam” and a “censorship organization.” He argued that the CCDH exaggerated the extent of harmful content on X in order to undermine its advertising revenue.
Last year, X Corp sued the CCDH for allegedly spreading misleading information that harmed the platform’s reputation.
Musk believes that the outcome of the election will significantly impact the battle between government censorship and free speech on platforms like X. If former President Donald Trump wins, Musk thinks the boycott will likely diminish. However, if Vice President Kamala Harris wins, Musk warns the boycott could intensify and possibly lead to efforts to shut down the platform altogether.
Musk speculated that the government could use the Department of Justice (DOJ) to target X with lawsuits, particularly over issues like hate speech and misinformation, despite Musk’s belief that the government itself is responsible for spreading misinformation. He referenced a past DOJ lawsuit against SpaceX, accusing the company of discriminatory hiring practices, which is currently on hold due to a separate legal case.
