Additional Coverage:
- Elon Musk says he may be more careful about where he travels after Telegram CEO shock arrest (newsbreak.com)
Elon Musk, the owner of the social-media platform X, previously known as Twitter, is under global scrutiny for how his platform handles misinformation. After purchasing X for $44 billion in 2022, Musk recently expressed concerns about the risks of international travel, suggesting he may limit his visits to countries with constitutional protections for free speech. This statement followed the arrest of Pavel Durov, CEO of Telegram, in France, where he was charged with hosting illegal activities on his platform.
The incident with Durov, who was detained near Paris, has raised alarms about free speech protections, despite France’s constitutional laws that support freedom of expression. French President Emmanuel Macron clarified that the arrest was not politically motivated and reaffirmed France’s commitment to free speech.
Both Musk and Durov lead platforms often criticized for lax content moderation. For instance, X has been a platform where misinformation has flourished, inciting incidents such as the far-right riots in the UK, triggered by false reports about a stabbing at a children’s dance class. In response to these events, Musk’s posts were critiqued for potentially inciting more violence.
Moreover, Musk is facing legal challenges in Brazil, where a Supreme Court judge has threatened to suspend X for not blocking accounts accused of spreading false information. Musk did not comment on these issues when approached by Business Insider.