Imagine, for a second, if Elon Musk didn’t buy Twitter.

What wouldn’t we know about?

For a start, we’d never know what a serial plagiarist former Harvard President Claudine Gay was. @jack’s Twitter Stasi would’ve suspended all accounts accusing Gay of plagiarism, and the story never would’ve come to light.

Epstein’s client list would’ve remained hidden as well. But since Elon hasn’t been anywhere near Epstein’s godforsaken island, he’s all too happy to let the list get out in the public domain.

Still have idiot friends who think Donald Trump is a “white supremacist?”

Then show them this video, courtesy of Daily Wire Plus:

Credit: @michaelmalice

All these stories would be buried if not for Elon and his “town square.”

Mashable reports that Fidelity, an investor in X, believes the company is worth 71.5% less than what Musk paid for it.

To which I reply, thank heavens Elon can take that kind of pain!

Because suffering those kinds of losses is painful. Of course, I think it’s worth it. Truth is priceless.

But my sentiments and five bucks will get you a latte at Starbucks.

Luckily, the man with the world’s largest wallet agrees with me. Elon Musk pays for the truth for all of us.

Telling Bob Iger To F*ck Off

Disney CEO Bob Iger is ending his career in ignominy.

His inability to fire Kathleen Kennedy for utterly destroying Star Wars and Indiana Jones is ludicrous. If you haven’t seen the South Park episode lampooning Disney, you ought to. Here’s a taster.Hint: swallow your coffee before you watch it.

Kevin Feige is clearly out of ideas at Marvel. You may not care about that kid’s stuff at all. Variety lists the failures here if you fancy how bad it is. The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), or M-She-U, as Nerdrotic refers to it, is over.

Pixar and Disney Animation have been terrible lately, as well. Combine that with falling theme park revenue, and it’s been horrible for DIS shareholders for the last three years.

And what does Iger do? He stops advertising on X. Stupid.

From The Verge, on Musk’s comments during the DealBook conference:

“I hope they stop. Don’t advertise,” Musk told interviewer Andrew Ross Sorkin. “If somebody is going to try to blackmail me with advertising, blackmail me with money, go f*ck yourself. Go f*ck yourself. Is that clear? I hope it is.” He singled out Disney CEO Bob Iger, who discussed not wanting Disney to be affiliated with Musk while onstage earlier in the day. “Hey Bob, if you’re in the audience.”

Quelle courage!

Destroying the DEI Cult

Thanks to Claudine Gay getting outed as a marker of plagiaristic mediocrity, many purple-haired, childless, and single Human Resources executives will be looking for a job soon.

The “Wine Box Women” might have to “learn to code.”

Most knew many wrong people were in the wrong jobs but wouldn’t say it for fear of a mob lynching.

I wrote about Gay on Wednesday, so I won’t beat that horse again. But it’s worth noting Musk’s reaction on X:

Influence on Public Discourse and Free Speech

Musk once referred to himself as a “free speech absolutist,” and he’s been true to his word so far.

His position on free speech is rooted in the idea that open dialogue and exchanging ideas are crucial for societal progress. He often criticizes censorship and advocates for minimal interference in public discourse, especially on social media platforms.

This stance contrasts with what he perceives as the overreach of tech companies in moderating content, which he argues stifles open and honest discussion.

Musk's acquisition of Twitter in 2022 was driven mainly by these beliefs. He expressed concerns about Twitter's content moderation policies and proposed changes to promote more open and less restricted communication on the platform.

Musk argues for a more lenient approach to content moderation, believing that barring illegal content, a wide range of viewpoints should be allowed, even if they are controversial or unpopular.

However, Musk's position on free speech is not without its critics. Some argue that an overly permissive approach to content moderation could spread misinformation, hate speech, and harmful content.

There are concerns - especially from Democrats - about the balance between protecting free speech and ensuring online spaces are not used to propagate harmful or false information.

Pissing Off The EU

And now, for my favorite…

In our corner, free speech champion Elon Musk intends to make Twitter a bastion for free expression, even in Europe.

His approach typically favors minimal content moderation, aligning with his belief that open discourse is vital for democracy.

This stance became particularly significant after he acquired X, as he hinted at significant changes to the platform's content moderation policies, including reinstating previously banned accounts and reducing restrictions on what users can post.

In the other corner, the European Union has been actively working on robust digital regulation to combat perceived online harms.

The EU's Digital Services Act (DSA) and Digital Markets Act (DMA) are pieces of legislation aimed at ensuring a “safer” digital space, with strict rules for large online platforms. I imagine this safety is vital for Europe’s incompetent politicians.

These regulations require platforms to remove illegal content swiftly, be transparent about their content moderation practices, and protect user rights, including the right to free speech. However, I’m unsure how moderation squares with the freedom of speech.

The EU's concerns with Musk's vision for X are centered around the potential increase in harmful or illegal content if moderation policies are relaxed.

EU officials have warned that X, like other major platforms, would be obligated to comply with these rules under the new regulations or face hefty fines and sanctions. Musk's free speech absolutism approach is at odds with the EU's stance on regulated and responsible speech on digital platforms.

In essence, the conflict represents a broader debate about the balance between free speech and regulation in the digital age.

Musk’s ideology emphasizes the dangers of over-regulation and censorship, while the EU focuses on the risks of unchecked speech, including the spread of misinformation and hate speech.

This kerfuffle highlights the challenges global tech companies face in navigating different regulatory environments and the complexities of moderating content on platforms that span multiple jurisdictions with varying free speech norms and regulations.

Wrap Up

I’m grateful Musk is taking on this monumental task.

Reading the tripe on the CBS, ABC, NBC, BBC, CBC, and CNN feeds is laughable. It’s not news. They spout propaganda scripted by their masters in DC, Brussels, and London.

If we didn’t have Musk and his seemingly inexhaustible resources, we wouldn’t have a clue what’s going on.

Now, that’s the kind of dutiful charity I support.

Have a wonderful weekend!