Elon Musk, the owner of the social media platform X, defended his decision to demonetize content from his critics, asserting that the action does not infringe on free speech rights.
In a post on X, Musk stated, “The first amendment is protection for ‘free speech’, not ‘paid speech’ ffs,” responding to a user who mocked those claiming that his actions violated free speech principles after some verification badges and monetization options were revoked for certain users.
This policy change followed backlash from conservative users regarding Musk’s support for H-1B visas, which are temporary nonimmigrant work permits.
A user remarked, “People getting demonetized for their inexcusable behavior then complaining about free speech is hilarious to me. You can say whatever you want. You just can’t get paid for it. Hope this helps.”
Among those affected by the revocation of verification and monetization capabilities were several staunch immigration Republicans, including Laura Loomer, a prominent supporter of President-elect Trump.
Nick Fuentes, a far-right white supremacist, also lost his verification and expressed his discontent on X, declaring, “Twitter censorship is back. Free speech is dead.” His post garnered over 2 million views by Thursday, prompting Musk to respond, “Claiming censorship while simultaneously getting millions of views is the clearest possible evidence that Fuentes has [poop emoji] for brains.”
Musk, who acquired X (previously known as Twitter) in 2021, has positioned himself as a proponent of free speech, having rolled back numerous content moderation policies in defense of this principle.
Last week, Musk found himself embroiled in a civil dispute within Trump’s circle after he and Trump ally Vivek Ramaswamy expressed their support for the influx of high-skilled foreign workers.
Musk, who has strong ties to Trump, argued in a post that Silicon Valley often relies on immigrants due to a shortage of U.S.-born engineers. Having previously held an H-1B visa himself, Musk emphasized the necessity of these visas for the tech industry.
The H-1B visa program, designed for high-skilled professionals, is primarily utilized for computer and tech-related jobs and is employer-sponsored.
Currently, Congress limits the program to 65,000 visas annually, with an additional 20,000 available for foreign professionals who earn a master’s degree or doctorate from a U.S. institution.
Members of the far-right MAGA base argue that the visa program undermines American workers.
In a phone interview with the New York Post published last week, Trump finally sided with Musk, endorsing the use of nonimmigrant visas.
“I’ve always liked the visas; I have always been in favor of the visas. That’s why we have them,” Trump stated.
He further added, “I have many H-1B visas on my properties. I’ve been a believer in H-1B. I have used it many times. It’s a great program,” as reported by the Post.
