The New Boss

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Article from Issue 260/2022
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As this magazine goes to press, Elon Musk, who is attempting to buy Twitter, has announced that, once he ascends to the helm of the micro-blogging colossus, a certain politician who was previously banned from the platform will be let back in. I'll pop in with my usual disclaimer: We talk about tech here, not politics.

Dear Reader,

As this magazine goes to press, Elon Musk, who is attempting to buy Twitter, has announced that, once he ascends to the helm of the micro-blogging colossus, a certain politician who was previously banned from the platform will be let back in. I'll pop in with my usual disclaimer: We talk about tech here, not politics. It doesn't really matter who this politician is or whether you agree with the ban. The question is about whether a sensible process exists for moderating content and whether there will still be one if Musk completes his purchase.

The news of this impending change is causing a stir throughout the Internet. Musk has declared himself a "free speech absolutist" [1] and has said that he considers Twitter to be a public square, where people should be able to say whatever they want. Many are worried about what form this free speech absolutism will take. Twitter critics welcomed the arrival of the platform's moderation policies as a way of restraining the hate, bullying, misogyny, and disinformation (otherwise called lies) that have become associated with the platform, and they worry about what less restrictive moderation could mean for the world.

[...]

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