The recent takeover of Twitter by Elon Musk has sparked controversy, as the platform’s former Vice President for Europe, Middle East and Africa, Bruce Daisley, suggests that Musk should be threatened with arrest if he refuses to censor right-wing content on X (the new name given to Twitter by Musk. In an op-ed published by The Guardian, Daisley expressed concern over the free speech idealism brought to the platform by Musk and claimed that it has resulted in “antisocial behavior” spreading rapidly.
Daisley argues that Musk must face consequences for his actions, particularly for allowing users to share content related to recent riots in the UK and for posting about the riots himself. By doing so, he claims, Musk is sowing discord among users. Daisley suggests that a personal threat of arrest may be more effective than corporate fines in forcing Musk to change his stance on censorship.
Furthermore, British regulators should consider demanding the removal of right-wing influencers such as Tommy Robinson from social media platforms and strengthening Britain’s Online Safety Act 2023 immediately. The act holds social media companies liable for illegal content posted on their platforms and is set to come into effect next year. Originally, it included a “legal but harmful” clause that aimed to punish companies that allowed the spread of such content; however, this clause was later removed after concerns were raised about its potential impact on freedom of speech.
Britain’s Metropolitan Police commissioner, Sir Mark Rowley, has announced that his officers may charge foreigners for social media posts about the unrest in the country. He specifically mentioned individuals such as Elon Musk as potential targets for investigation. As of Friday, over 700 people have been arrested and more than 300 charged for their alleged involvement in the riots, which began after a teenager of Rwandan descent killed three children and injured ten others in a stabbing spree in Southport last month.
Elon Musk has heavily criticized the response to the riots, accusing the British government of operating a “two-tier” justice system where dissent is punished more harshly than violent crime. In a recent post on X, he shared an excerpt from a 1946 UN resolution emphasizing that “freedom of information is a fundamental human right and the touchstone of all the freedoms to which the United Nations is consecrated.