As X害羞草研究所檚 owner and most followed user, Elon Musk has increasingly used the social media platform as a microphone to amplify his political views and, lately, those of right-wing figures he害羞草研究所檚 aligned with. There are few modern parallels to his antics, but then again there are few modern parallels to Elon Musk himself.

Of course, none of this should come as a surprise.

Back in 2022 when he was trying to buy Twitter, Musk said he was doing so because it wasn害羞草研究所檛 living up to its potential as a 害羞草研究所減latform for free speech.害羞草研究所� Protecting free speech 害羞草研究所� not money 害羞草研究所� was his motivation because, as he put it, 害羞草研究所渉aving a public platform that is maximally trusted and broadly inclusive is extremely important to the future of civilization.害羞草研究所�

Musk often ruminates on the future of civilization. For one, he appears fixated on a coming 害羞草研究所� ,害羞草研究所� threatening to wipe out humanity. And he joined prominent scientists and tech leaders last year in doing the same. Musk has framed threats to free speech as yet another existential crisis looming over the world. And he is going to try his best to save it.

害羞草研究所淔ree speech is the bedrock of a functioning democracy, and Twitter is the digital town square where matters vital to the future of humanity are debated,害羞草研究所� Musk said in an April 2022 post, adding to highlight the statement.

Two years on, the platform 害羞草研究所� now called X 害羞草研究所� has indeed become a haven for the type of free speech Musk has come to champion. In the U.S., he害羞草研究所檚 spread memes 害羞草研究所� and sometimes misinformation 害羞草研究所� about illegal immigration, alleged election fraud and transgender policies, and he formally endorsed former President Donald Trump害羞草研究所檚 presidential bid this summer.

In May 2023, he co-hosted Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis害羞草研究所� official presidential bid announcement. That turned out to be marred by technical glitches but it underscored Musk害羞草研究所檚 desire to turn X into a 害羞草研究所渄igital town square.害羞草研究所� After the event was marred by technical difficulties, Musk extended an open invitation to any other presidential candidate who wants to do one.

Trump took him up on it, agreeing to an interview with the billionaire Tesla CEO on Monday evening. The conversation started with with people unable to join in and began some 42 minutes late.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檝e not been very political before,害羞草研究所� Musk said during his conversation with Trump.

Overseas 害羞草研究所� where most X users live 害羞草研究所� he害羞草研究所檚 feuded with top officials in , , the European Union and over the balance between free speech and the spread of harmful misinformation. And he in his native South Africa of 害羞草研究所渙penly pushing for genocide of white people.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淓lon Musk is a master of the media and controls one of the world害羞草研究所檚 largest microphones. Musk understands the power of social media in shaping a political narrative,害羞草研究所� said Emarketer analyst Jasmine Enberg.

害羞草研究所淭he concern is that as he pushes his own political agenda, X could suppress viewpoints that oppose Musk害羞草研究所檚 own, either intentionally or by nature of the platform becoming more partisan. That could turn off users who feel marginalized on the platform, and disillusion some who may have earlier bought into his free speech mantra.害羞草研究所�

Musk害羞草研究所檚 political shift playing out on X comes as other social media platforms, notably Meta害羞草研究所檚 Facebook and Instagram, are shying away from politics. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has never endorsed a presidential candidate 害羞草研究所� and in February, the world害羞草研究所檚 largest social media company announced it to people who don害羞草研究所檛 already follow such accounts.

Lately, Zuckerberg appears to contrast Musk in other ways too. While as recently as January, the Facebook founder was testifying before Congress about the harm his platform has caused children, he seemed to have embraced a more stylish look that includes gold chains, longer curls and a beaming confidence coupled with slightly self-deprecating humor that seems to embrace his eccentricities.

On July 4, for instance, he posted a video of himself riding an electric surfboard, wearing a tuxedo and holding a can of beer in one hand and an American flag in the other. The online response was far more positive than to a 2021 surfing photo, where he害羞草研究所檚 seen slathered in so much sunscreen it looks like he is wearing a white mask.

Musk, meanwhile, is veering from cool nerd territory into what , the elder stateswoman of tech journalism, recently called 害羞草研究所渢he Howard Hughes portion害羞草研究所� of an inevitable decline. He害羞草研究所檚 sparring with those who disagree with him 害羞草研究所� be they foreign governments or people infected by what he calls the 害羞草研究所渨oke mind virus.害羞草研究所�

Last week, the to act more responsibly after the tech billionaire used X to unleash a barrage of posts that risk inflaming violent unrest gripping the country.

Justice Minister Heidi Alexander made the comments after Musk posted a comment saying that 害羞草研究所淐ivil war is inevitable害羞草研究所� in the U.K. Musk later doubled down, highlighting complaints that the British criminal justice system treats Muslims more leniently than far-right activists and comparing Britain害羞草研究所檚 crackdown on social media users to the Soviet Union.

Officials at X did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Of course, some of Musk害羞草研究所檚 current battles over free speech are similar to those that the previous Twitter administration was fighting in repressive regimes that have, at times, restricted or blocked access to the platform to suppress dissent. In Venezuela, for instance, President Nicol谩s on access to X in the country last week 害羞草研究所� the latest in a series of efforts by his government to try to suppress information sharing among people voicing doubts about his claim to victory in the . Maduro accused X of being used by his opponents to create political unrest, and gave the company 10 days to 害羞草研究所減resent their documents,害羞草研究所� but he gave no additional details.

Musk害羞草研究所檚 antics are unlike any other Big Tech leader, and while it may be off-putting to a segment of his X user base, it could also attract eyeballs to his platform. Could this all be part of a broader plan? After all, despite publicly criticizing Musk害羞草研究所檚 antics, those on .

害羞草研究所淴 has remained surprisingly resilient throughout the recent controversy,害羞草研究所� Enberg said. 害羞草研究所淭hat害羞草研究所檚 in no small part due to consumer fascination with conspiracy theories and Elon Musk himself.害羞草研究所�