Elon Musk spoke out against a potential U.S. ban on China’s ByteDance-owned TikTok in a tweet on Tuesday, saying the law was all about “censorship and government control.” Musk has previously expressed dissatisfaction with TikTok’s addictive algorithm, but this stance is consistent with his “free speech absolutism”—at least, that’s what he wants you to think.
“This law isn’t just about TikTok, it’s about censorship and government control,” Musk said in a statement. tweet. The post quoted Kentucky Congressman Thomas Massie as saying that “the so-called TikTok ban is a Trojan horse,” suggesting that the law will be used to suppress Americans’ free speech.
However, FCC member Brendan Carr said Musk and Kentucky lawmakers were confused by the bill. Replying In Musk’s tweet, he said the proposed law would only apply to apps from China, North Korea, Iran or Russia that pose a significant threat to national security.
This appears to be a shift in Musk’s tone. Just a few months ago, he criticized TikTok, saying the app was filled with anti-Semitic content and noting how it was addictive for teenagers. However, he rejected the idea that TikTok is controlled by the Chinese government.
“I stopped using TikTok when I felt the AI was probing my thoughts. It made me feel uncomfortable,” said Musk. “In terms of anti-Semitic content, TikTok is rife with it.”
While this may be a new stance for Musk on TikTok, he’s peddling a familiar line: Big tech companies, the media and the government are censoring conservative voices. However, Musk selectively advocates free speech and generally gives more tolerance to conservative voices.He has the following history Suspension of journalists On X, especially those who criticizes him.
Musk has previously said that Trump “correctHe asserted that TikTok’s demise would benefit Meta and “Zuckerschuck” and that Facebook was the “real enemy of the people.” Despite Trump’s claims, he was a major beneficiary of the 2016 campaign. Cambridge Analytica hired to use Facebook data to target voters. Musk’s war of words with Zuckerberg has been going on for about a year but has yet to materialize in a long-promised cage match.
Trump also reverses course on TikTokAfter years of trying to ban Chinese social media platforms, it is now supported. political reporting Trump has been particularly friendly lately with Republican megadonor Jeff Yass ByteDance invests US$33 billion.It’s also possible that he just wants to go against everything President Biden does because White House says it will sign TikTok bill If Congress passes it.
Although the bill was bipartisan, Republicans are now divided on the issue, According to AxiosDue to the sudden reversal from Donald Trump and other conservative voices. The U.S. House of Representatives is scheduled to vote on the TikTok bill on Wednesday morning.