If elected president in November, Donald Trump says he will create a government efficiency commission led by tech billionaire Elon Musk as part of his economic plan. Musk suggested the idea to Trump in a conversation on X, which he bought in 2022 when it was called Twitter. The announcement is the latest display of Musk’s growing influence in politics. The self-proclaimed “free speech absolutist” is accused of censoring progressive opinions while amplifying the voices of far-right networks. So far, no one seems to be able to check his growing power, as his recent legal battles with Australia and Brazil have demonstrated. Both countries tried to curtail content deemed harmful, but Musk ignored their requests. After Musk disregarded a judicial order to suspend dozens of X accounts for allegedly spreading disinformation in Brazil, the country’s Supreme Court ruled to ban it nationwide. Journalists, who have relied heavily on it, have expressed a mixture of relief and regret at the ban.
From The New Humanitarian, Sept. 6
Note: Folowing this summer’s xenophobic riots in the UK, there were calls for Musk to be questioned by parliament for his role in enflaming the violence.
Photo: Filip Troníček via Wikipedia
Bolsonaro leads ‘free speech’ rally amid X suspension
Former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro led a political rally on Sept. 7, Brazil’s Independence Day, amid growing dissent over the suspension of social media platform X (formerly Twitter) in the country.
In an Instagram post, Bolsonaro said, “There is no point celebrating our independence if we are deprived of freedom.” He urged Brazilians to stay away from official Independence Day parades, instead calling on them to join him in Sao Paulo.
Last month, X announced that it would cease operations in Brazil, citing “censorship orders” from Supreme Federal Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes. The platform raised concerns about the safety of its employees, claiming that the judge had made threats against its legal team, including the potential arrest of its representative in Brazil.
Since then, Elon Musk, the owner of X, has harshly criticized de Moraes, accusing him of being “a criminal cosplaying a judge” and describing the restrictions as “the most draconian demands of any country on Earth.” In 2022, during the opening of Starlink in Brazil, President Bolsonaro honored Elon with Brazil’s prestigious Order of Defense Merit.
Justice de Moraes, known for his firm stance against disinformation, is leading several investigations into Bolsonaro, particularly regarding his involvement in the January 2023 riots. Bolsonaro, who narrowly lost to President Lula in the last election, is under investigation for his alleged role in a coup attempt. During the riot, Bolsonaro’s supporters, known as Bolsonaristas, stormed key government buildings, demanding military intervention and claiming election fraud.
Bolsonaro and his supporters have long been at odds with Judge de Moraes. As president of the Superior Electoral Court, de Moraoes barred Bolsonaro from running for office until 2030, citing his attempts to undermine Brazil’s electoral process. (Jurist)