Warns many will be unhappy with West Coast high tech as the de facto arbiter of free speech.
"A lot of people are going to be super unhappy with West Coast high tech as the de facto arbiter of free speech"
Is free speech under threat globally?
Q3346 answers2021-2026
Short answer
He says today's left is the party of crushing dissent and free speech. He cites thousands of UK arrests for social-media posts and a German case where a woman received a longer sentence than her rapist for a group-chat comment.
All 46 answers, oldest to newest
2021 · 1 answer
2022 · 9 answers
Polls whether Twitter rigorously adheres to free speech, calling it essential to democracy.
"Free speech is essential to a functioning democracy."
Says Twitter is the de facto public town square, so failing free speech principles undermines democracy.
"Given that Twitter serves as the de facto public town square, failing to adhere to free speech principles fundamentally undermines democracy."
Says he disagrees with him but disagrees with deleting his content even more; that is free speech.
"I disagree with you, but I disagree with deleting your stuff even more. That’s what free speech is about."
People should be able to speak freely within the bounds of the law. Twitter is bound by the laws of the country it operates in.
"speak freely within the bounds of the law"
Defines free speech as that which matches the law, and opposes censorship beyond the law.
"By “free speech”, I simply mean that which matches the law. I am against censorship that goes far beyond the law."
Free speech is important for a healthy democracy; it matters most when it is someone you do not like saying something you do not like.
"free speech is important for a for a healthy democracy"
He said free speech is within the context of the law: you can say outrageous things, but that does not mean they must be promoted to millions of people. Freedom of speech is not the same as freedom of reach.
"freedom of speech and freedom of reach"
He called advertiser pressure to suppress free speech an attack on the First Amendment, because Twitter is dependent on those advertisers.
"this is frankly an attack on the First Amendment"
Calls it a battle for civilization: if free speech is lost in America, tyranny lies ahead.
"This is a battle for the future of civilization. If free speech is lost even in America, tyranny is all that lies ahead."
2023 · 14 answers
Asked .@elonmusk: "There were three areas that I thought would most affect the future of huma..., he said free speech is the bedrock of democracy. It is a fundamental defense against autocracy & statism, which is why we must fight so hard to preserve it. The founders showed great wisdom, based on painful historical lesson...
"Free speech is the bedrock of democracy. It is a fundamental defense against autocracy & statism, which is why we must fight so hard to preserve it. The founders showed great wisdom, based on painful historical lessons, in passing the First Amendment."
The bedrock of a functioning democracy has to be free speech and a level playing field, which is why the First Amendment came first.
"free speech and a Level Playing Field"
That is up to Trump. Elon's job is that he takes freedom of speech very seriously.
"I take the the freedom of speech just very seriously"
Free speech means allowing people you don't like to say things you don't like; once you lose it, it does not come back.
"allow people uh you don't like to say things you don't like"
He warned against anti-meritocracy and suppression of free speech. Free speech only matters when it is someone you do not like saying something you do not like; censorship gets turned on its advocates.
"We must protect free speech"
He said i hear your concerns, but don’t judge too early. I am adamant about defending free speech, even if it means losing money.
"I hear your concerns, but don’t judge too early. I am adamant about defending free speech, even if it means losing money."
He said we’ve pushed harder for free speech than any other Internet company, including Wokipedia @jimmy_wales
"We’ve pushed harder for free speech than any other Internet company, including Wokipedia @jimmy_wales"
He says there has to be a very major national security reason for governments to secretly demand things from companies.
"there really has to be a very major national security reason to secretly demand things for companies."
He says resisting government demands depends on a company's willingness to oppose them, and X's willingness will be high.
"a lot of it actually does depend on the willingness of a company to oppose government demands in the US and obviously our willingness will be high."
He said transparency is no problem. More of that would be great. But the government policing free speech in violation of the first amendment is not ok.
"Transparency is no problem. More of that would be great. But the government policing free speech in violation of the first amendment is not ok."
The First Amendment is only relevant if you allow people you don't like to say things you don't like; if you like it you don't need a First Amendment.
"the only free speech is only relevant the first amendment is only relevant um if you allow people you don't like to say things you don't like"
Free speech only matters if people you don't like can say things you don't like; otherwise it is only a matter of time before censorship turns on you.
"free speech only matters if people you don't like are allowed to say things you don't like"
Free speech is only meaningful if you allow people you don't like to say things you don't like; that is how you know it is working.
"Free speech is only meaningful if you allow people you don't like to say things you don't like"
He said the point is not to ban free speech, but rather to acknowledge that calling for the death of any people is obviously harassment
"The point is not to ban free speech, but rather to acknowledge that calling for the death of any people is obviously harassment"
2024 · 15 answers
X is biased toward free speech; falsehoods can be replied to and Community Notes stuck on the post. Speech is allowed if it does not break the law.
"the general bias of the platform is in favor of free speech"
X deletes things if they are illegal; he does not delete merely because a study or critic calls a post a trope.
"we delete things if they are illegal"
He said this platform will do whatever it takes to protect the rights of users to remain anonymous, as they would otherwise face persecution from employers (as many have) or risk of physical harm
"This platform will do whatever it takes to protect the rights of users to remain anonymous, as they would otherwise face persecution from employers (as many have) or risk of physical harm"
He said given the relentless attacks on free speech, I am going to fund a national signature campaign in support of the First Amendment
"Given the relentless attacks on free speech, I am going to fund a national signature campaign in support of the First Amendment"
He said the opposition to free speech (under the guise of “hate speech”) in America by hard left activists is much greater than most people realize
"The opposition to free speech (under the guise of “hate speech”) in America by hard left activists is much greater than most people realize"
He said fate loves irony, but hates hypocrisy. I cannot claim to be a defender of free speech, but then permanently ban someone who hasn’t violated the law, no matter how much I disagree with what they say. This will probably...
"Fate loves irony, but hates hypocrisy. I cannot claim to be a defender of free speech, but then permanently ban someone who hasn’t violated the law, no matter how much I disagree with what they say. This will probably cause us to lose a lot of advertisers and makes me sad, but a principle is a principle."
He said the platform is neutral, but I will voice whatever opinions I have. That’s the whole point of free speech!
"The platform is neutral, but I will voice whatever opinions I have. That’s the whole point of free speech!"
He said we have recently received many requests to suspend or otherwise impact accounts on the left. However, 𝕏 is a free speech platform that aspires to give equal voice to all, within the bounds of the law. That is what we ...
"We have recently received many requests to suspend or otherwise impact accounts on the left. However, 𝕏 is a free speech platform that aspires to give equal voice to all, within the bounds of the law. That is what we will do."
He said it is obvious Trump is a believer and advocate of free speech because during the first term he was attacked relentlessly and did not try to shut down the media.
"you're you're you're a Believer and an advocate of of free speech"
There is a weird movement to quell free speech around the world, including prison for social-media posts in Britain.
"there is like this weird movement to uh quell's Free Speech uh kind of around the world"
Free speech is on his list of goals; without it people cannot make an informed vote, so there is no democracy.
"if we don't have free speech we don't have democracy"
He said the essence of free speech is that ideas survive by competing in the marketplace of ideas.
"That's the essence of free speech, is that ideas survive"
He said you must have free speech in order to have democracy.
"You must have free speech in order to have democracy."
He said they just hate free speech. This is the only major platform that doesn’t censor beyond what is legally required.
"They just hate free speech. This is the only major platform that doesn’t censor beyond what is legally required."
The left used to be the free-speech party and is now the anti-free-speech party, using hate speech and misinformation as propaganda words defined by government. The point of the First Amendment is you do not trust the government.
"the left historically up until I don't know maybe even 10 years ago or something like that um was the Free Speech party and now it's the anti-free speech party"
2025 · 6 answers
He said exactly. The first amendment is protection for “free speech”, not “paid speech” ffs.
"Exactly. The first amendment is protection for “free speech”, not “paid speech” ffs."
He said the left wanted to make comedy illegal; legalize comedy. The culture has shifted dramatically because of the election, with freedom of speech and having fun again.
"legalize comedy"
In Europe they put people in prison for memes, which he called insane.
"in Europe they put people in prison for memes"
He said damaging the property of others, aka vandalism, is not free speech!
"Damaging the property of others, aka vandalism, is not free speech!"
He wants a free society where people can say what they want within reasonable bounds; free speech is the bedrock of a functioning democracy and the First Amendment.
"free speech is the bedrock of a functioning democracy"
He says today's left is the party of crushing dissent and free speech. He cites thousands of UK arrests for social-media posts and a German case where a woman received a longer sentence than her rapist for a group-chat comment.
"not not the party of like crushing dissent and crushing free speech"
2026 · 1 answer
On a Piers Morgan clip asking whether he is a force for good, he said free speech within the bounds of the law is what's right.
"Free speech within the bounds of the law is what’s right"