In a surprising twist, Elon Musk has overturned the ban on political advertisements that was originally implemented on Twitter to combat misinformation. The reversal of policy, allowing potentially misleading political messages on X, occurred less than a week after former President Donald Trump made his re-entry onto the platform in January 2021.
Trump’s Return to X
Trump’s return was marked by his posting of a police mugshot from his arrest in Georgia, signifying his comeback to a platform that had served as his primary megaphone during his White House tenure.
His First Post Since 2021
Notably, this marked his first post since the aftermath of the US Capitol insurrection, an event that witnessed an enraged mob of his supporters trying to thwart the certification of Joe Biden as President.
Trump’s Account Was Permanently Suspended
The consequences of that event led to Twitter permanently suspending Trump’s account for violating the platform’s policy against glorifying violence and for propagating baseless claims about the election.
Musk Reinstated the Account Last Year
Having acquired the platform in the previous year, Elon Musk reinstated the former President’s account in November 2022.
He Chose Truth Social Instead
However, Trump opted to engage with his followers through his own platform, Truth Social, albeit with a considerably smaller audience.
He Is Allowing Political Ads Again
X, as the platform is now known, announced through a blog post that it will allow political ads to be featured again, initially in the United States, as part of its commitment to free expression.
Maintains It’s Strict Policies on Misinformation
The platform, however, maintains strict policies against the promotion of false or misleading information, particularly claims designed to undermine the integrity of elections.
‘Election Interference’
Trump’s recent post featuring his mugshot was accompanied by the caption “Election interference.”
His Date Has Been Set
A significant development in Trump’s political journey occurred when a judge set the date for his trial on charges of election subversion conspiracy on March 4, 2024 – a momentous event positioned right in the midst of the next White House race.
X is Enhancing Safety Teams
In response to the new policy, X is enhancing its safety and elections teams to counter the manipulation of content on the platform.
An Online Hub Will Review Ads
An online hub will also be established to facilitate the review of political ads.
People Were Concerned About Functionality
Musk had previously downsized the staffing of the platform after acquiring it, leading to concerns about its content moderation and overall functionality.
Revamping Its Civic Integrity Policy
X is also revamping its Civic Integrity Policy to address content that intends to intimidate or mislead voters.
Musk Prioritizes Freedom of Expression
These updates align with Musk’s philosophy of prioritizing user freedom of expression.
Urges Users to Engage in Debates
The platform emphasized that it shouldn’t be the sole arbiter of truthfulness in contested information; rather, it aims to empower its users to engage in open debates during elections while upholding freedom of expression.
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Source: France24