Beware the moral certitude of the eccentric billionaire. He may claim, for example, that the $42-billion purchase of a social media giant is the consequence of him being a “free speech absolutist”. The debate in the digital public square, according to Elon Musk, is best protected by shielding it from content moderation, government oversight as well as a fiduciary responsibility to shareholders. But less than a month after he purchased Twitter, taking the company private, Musk has hinted that free speech may need to be monetised.
The world’s richest man is sending mixed messages. Is Twitter to be more about profit, a shrewd business deal by a consummate businessman or is it a political-social mission? Given how much he oscillates, and how controversial his social media persona has been, Musk must clarify whether, if the bottom line demands it, free speech will need to be paid for. After all, he came out against content moderation of hate speech and bigotry. A monetary barrier to entry is, perhaps, the kind of gatekeeping to the right to free expression that billionaire activists are okay with.
