The U.S. government on Friday warned South African tycoon Elon Musk that there is «no place for hate speech» on social media after sharing his plans to allegedly promote greater freedom of speech on the newly purchased Twitter.
Asked whether the Biden Administration was concerned about Musk’s acquisition of the social network, White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said the U.S. government has been «very clear about that,» stressing that «there is no room for hate speech or harassment on social networks.»
«The president (Joe Biden) has long said that social media companies must take steps to address the spread of hate on their platforms. And he has also been clear in his concern about the power that large social media platforms have over everyday life,» Jean-Pierre detailed during a press conference.
The White House also stressed the importance of such platforms «continuing to take steps» to reduce misinformation, regardless of whether the social network is called «Twitter, Facebook or any other» where users can spread misinformation.
The U.S. government’s statements come after Musk’s $44 billion (a similar figure in euros) acquisition of the social network Twitter and his announcement of plans to promote «freedom of expression».
Among other things, under the billionaire’s tenure, Twitter could stop moderating some of its content, which could undo years of work by the company to address misinformation and harassment and create «healthier» conversations on the platform.
Musk has also repeatedly expressed disagreement with the social network’s practice of permanently banning users who repeatedly violate its policies, raising the possibility that users such as former U.S. President Donald Trump could return to the platform.
