BOSTON. Elon Musk has reinstated the X account of controversial conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, citing a poll on the social media platform that garnered 70% support for Jones’ return. The decision marks a shift in Musk’s stance, raising concerns for advertisers who fled X due to worries about hate speech appearing alongside their ads.
Musk initiated a poll on Saturday, asking X users whether Jones should be allowed back on the platform. The results, with 70% in favor of reinstatement, prompted Musk to tweet on Sunday, “The people have spoken and so it shall be.” Musk, self-proclaimed as a free speech absolutist, asserted that the decision was about protecting individual rights.
Responding to a user who argued against permanent account bans, Musk stated, “I find it hard to disagree with this point.” He also acknowledged the potential role of Community Notes, X’s crowd-sourced fact-checking service, in swiftly correcting any misinformation shared by Jones.
This reversal by the billionaire Tesla CEO contrasts with his previous stance, where he vowed not to allow Jones back on the platform. Last year, Musk, referencing the death of his first-born child, expressed no mercy for those exploiting children’s deaths for personal gain, politics, or fame.
Jones, known for repeatedly claiming the 2012 Sandy Hook school shooting was a hoax, faces significant legal challenges. Victims’ relatives sued him, winning nearly $1.5 billion in judgments. A judge ruled in October that bankruptcy protection could not shield Jones from over $1.1 billion of that debt.
The move to reinstate Jones comes at a time when major brands, including Disney and IBM, have ceased advertising on X due to concerns raised by Media Matters about ads appearing alongside extremist content. Musk, too, faced criticism for endorsing an antisemitic conspiracy theory on X, later apologizing during a visit to Israel.
Musk, who acquired Twitter last year, has previously reinstated high-profile figures like former President Donald Trump, rapper Ye (formerly Kanye West), and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene. Despite advertiser exodus, Musk has been vocal about what he deems as “blackmail” and advised them not to advertise during a recent interview at The New York Times DealBook Summit.
The restoration of Jones’ account adds another layer of complexity to the ongoing debate surrounding free speech, content moderation, and the responsibilities of social media platforms.
Gary P Hernal started college at UP Diliman and received his BA in Economics from San Sebastian College, Manila, and Masters in Information Systems Management from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University in Oak Brook, IL. He has 25 years of copy editing and management experience at Thomson West, a subsidiary of Thomson Reuters.
