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- Elon Musk stated that his decision to suspend a Hamas-linked account on X “was a tough call.”
- Musk stated that X has a “UN exemption rule,” which ensures that UN-recognized countries would not be suspended.
- “Hamas is not recognised as a government by the UN, so was suspended,” Musk said in a statement.
Elon Musk stated that removing a Hamas-linked account from his platform X was a difficult choice.
“This was a tough call,” Musk said on Monday in response to a user’s question about why an account affiliated to the Palestinian terrorist organisation had been suspended.
The account, called “qassam2024,” was linked to Hamas’ military branch. Business Insider was unable to independently determine when the account was suspended.
“While many government leaders, including in the USA, do call for killing people, we have a ‘UN exemption rule’; if a government is recognised by the UN, we will not suspend their accounts,” Musk stated in a statement.
“Hamas is not recognised as a government by the UN, so was suspended,” he went on to say.
Some X users criticised Musk’s move, accusing the billionaire of breaking his own free speech values.
“Lmao, where is the free speech, Elon Musk? So, ultimately, the UN is dictating your laws?” One X user wrote.
“So, the UN chooses who has free speech. “I get it,” remarked another user.
Prior to acquiring control of X, Musk had criticised the platform for “failing to adhere to free speech principles.”
“Given that Twitter serves as the de facto public town square, failing to adhere to free speech principles fundamentally undermines democracy,” Musk stated in March 2022, referring to the platform’s previous moniker.
Since acquiring the firm in October 2022, the self-proclaimed “free speech absolutist” has made a number of contentious choices.
Notably, Musk reactivated former President Donald Trump’s account exactly one month after the takeover. He has also restored other problematic right-wing personalities, like influencer Andrew Tate and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene.
Last month, Musk restored conspiracy theorist Alex Jones following a referendum of X users.
Jones, who had previously stated that the Sandy Hook school killings were a fabrication, was banned from the site more than five years ago.
Musk’s move was perceived as a reversal, as he had first resisted restoring Jones.
“My first kid died in my arms. I sensed his last heartbeat. “I have no mercy for anyone who would use children’s deaths for profit, politics, or fame,” Musk declared in November 2022.
Representatives for X did not immediately reply to Business Insider’s request for comment delivered after hours.
The poster cancelled his social media accounts and ceased posting about Tesla entirely.
“I am not sure what Mr. Musk’s specific concerns about me are. I don’t believe he has a viable legal claim, and if he did, I would vehemently defend myself,” Montana Sceptic stated in their goodbye article. “My response to his threats was simply to protect my employer and preserve my employment.”
In another example, Musk personally phoned a writer who had been critical of the Tesla Model X launch event and cancelled their Model X order.
Former employees have claimed being dismissed for disagreeing with the CEO, reporting racist harassment, or just getting in the way.
Musk has disputed charges of rage-firing staff and claims his criticism of Twitter stems from a core conviction in free expression. He said in a tweet that because Twitter is “a de facto public town square,” the company’s posting policy “undermines democracy.”
Twitter runs on terms of service that users must follow in order to use the platform. The First Amendment protections only apply when the government, not a private enterprise, punishes free expression.
In another tweet, Musk inquired, “Is a new platform necessary?” Some speculated that the Tesla CEO was about to launch a new social media site.
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