- The conspiracy theorist was deplatformed in 2018 because his campaign sought to prove that the deaths of 20 children in the Sandy Hook school massacre was a hoax
- X owner Musk expressed his feelings towards his own children for refusing to take him back
- But he changed his mind after seeing the results of an X poll on Saturday
Elon Musk reinstates conspiracy theorist Alex Jones' account after holding a public vote — despite repeatedly calling the Sandy Hook school shooting a hoax.
Numerous Twitter accounts linked to Alex Jones were permanently suspended from Twitter in 2018 and he has not been on the platform since.
The owner of
“My firstborn child died in my arms.” I felt his last heartbeat. “I have no mercy for anyone who uses the deaths of children for profit, politics or fame,” he wrote.
But he changed his mind, citing freedom of expression, after nearly two million X users voted 70-30 to give the right-wing extremist radio host access to his account again.
“The people have spoken and so it will be,” Musk posted.
Elon Musk reinstates conspiracy theorist Alex Jones' account after holding a public vote — despite repeatedly calling the Sandy Hook school shooting a hoax
Elon Musk reinstates conspiracy theorist Alex Jones' account after holding a public vote — despite repeatedly calling the Sandy Hook school shooting a hoax
Jones has maintained for a decade that the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, in which 20 children and six staff members were shot, was a fake.
He finally admitted it was not a hoax shortly before he was sentenced to pay more than $1 billion in compensation to victims' families after losing two high-profile court battles that he was appealing want to insert.
The decision to let him back on the platform sparked anger among other users.
“I hope everyone remembers Elon Musk abandoning a man who owes Sandy Hook parents $1.1 BILLION because of his lies on social media,” mental health activist Ryan Shead tweeted.
“X will soon be filled with a lot more hate.”
“Sandy Hook families should sue Musk for supporting the propagandist who terrorized their families,” added singer Ricky Davila.
Piers Morgan replied wryly: “Great to have this calm, rational person back.”
Musk's first child, Nevada Alexander, was born in 2002, two years after Musk and his first wife Justine married. He died of sudden infant death syndrome at 10 weeks old after being put down for a nap.