After long and complex negotiations for the takeover of Twitter, the American tycoon Elon Musk last October 28 closed the company’s purchase deal worth 44 billion dollars. However, the transfer of ownership of the well-known social network into the hands of the eccentric millionaire, who claims to want to defend and guarantee freedom of expression on the platform, has caused quite a stir Unrest in the so-called liberal world and through the advertisers, including large multinationals, including pharmaceutical companies such as Pfizer, who have stopped advertising on the platform. After finalizing the purchase agreement and laying off a large number of employees, mainly working in the field of content moderation, the same American President Joe Biden intervened sharp criticism of the social network and its new owner and claim that it is “an organization that spews lies around the world.” Even a few days after Biden’s remarks The UN wrote an open letter to Musk asking him to guarantee respect for human rights and to watch over “disinformation”.
The debate on the management of Twitter content is controversial, pitting those who believe it is right and necessary to impose some form of censorship to combat fake news and propaganda, and those who, on the contrary, believe that it is just managing the content of the same social network using forms of propaganda and conveying certain content rather than others in accordance with precise prevailing political and ideological currents by identifying a species in the social network Soundboard of liberal-globalist mainstream thinking. The well-known American entrepreneur seems to have embraced the second position, since he has repeatedly stated that the social network restricts freedom of expression, censors uncomfortable content and stirs up hatred among users, including by the so-called Bots, algorithms programmed with ready-made content. No wonder Musk tweeted a signed contract: “The bird has been released.”
In the open letter to Musk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk was careful to emphasize that “Freedom of expression is not a pass: the viral spread of harmful disinformation, as observed during the Covid-19 pandemic, is related to vaccines, causes damage in the real world. Twitter has a responsibility to avoid amplifying content that violates the rights of others. In particular, the High Commissioner insisted on respect for human rights, writing that “Twitter, like all companies, must understand the harms associated with its platform and take action to address it. Respecting our common human rights should create barriers to the use and further development of the platform. In short, I challenge you to ensure that human rights are central to the operation of Twitter under your leadership.
The social has developed in a similar way in 2021 then US President Donald Trump was censored and permanently suspended from the platform: an unprecedented measure demonstrating the clear descent of private companies into the political field. In that regard, Politico reported that since Musk became owner of Twitter, many Democratic Party politicians have been “concerned about possible changes to app content moderation policies and an increasing spread of disinformation ahead of Tuesday’s midterm elections.” The key word of the criticism is therefore “disinformation”: however, it is difficult to distinguish when it is really disinformation and when the latter becomes a pretext to stigmatize the facts and opinions disliked by the liberal vulgate, of which the previous administration of the social network a recognized and undisputed pioneer.
According to the Wall Street Journal, after Musk took over the management of the company, many advertisers decided to stop their ads on the platform for fear of a possible attack Content moderation downsizing. Among them, Audi, General Mills and the pharmaceutical company Pfizer stand out. The latter in particular would be concerned about the possibility that with the new leadership of the social network, articles and studies questioning the effectiveness and safety of the anti-Covid vaccines it produces could circulate freely. In the past few weeks, Musk himself has pointed out one big drop in sales, which blames “activists who are pressuring advertisers, even if moderation of content hasn’t changed,” as – again according to the entrepreneur – “they are trying to destroy freedom of expression in America”. Musk therefore tried to reassure companies that Twitter would not become a “hellish landscape” and that it would be “warm and welcoming to everyone”, which he promised set up a “Content Moderation Advice” which are expected to set the standards for site surveillance. Statements, however, were not enough to allay the concerns of the dem world and criticism of the staff layoffs, which have recently been partially resumed, as we learn from a Bloomberg article.
In the meantime, Tesla’s number one has defined itself new rules for the transparent use of social media: announced tightening on fake accounts and identity theft, as well as the introduction of an eight-dollar payment for a verified account. He also announced that from now on “all users involved in performances without explicit indication of the “parody” will be permanently blocked”. According to Musk, this will “make journalism more democratic and empower people’s voices.” In conclusion, the American millionaire wrote that “Twitter must become by far the most accurate source of information about the world. That is our mission.” Affirmations that certainly won’t be enough to assuage resentment and concern in the ranks of American Democrats.
[di Giorgia Audiello]