When the U.S. Capitol came under assault on Jan. 6, 2021, major social media platforms suspended the accounts of former President Donald Trump, silencing the megaphone that many believed was not only propelling violence but had become an active threat to U.S. democracy.
But what happens when a social media platform’s owner is the one inciting political violence? What happens when the platform refuses to silence those who pour gasoline on the dry tinder of grievance and hatred and toss the lit match to ignite it? What happens when countries, and investors in major global financial centers, come to believe not only that the platform is a threat, but that its owner must be stopped?
The question is pressing, as it becomes increasingly clear that Elon Musk, the owner of X, formerly known as Twitter, is using X in ways that instigate unrest, as he aims to advance his personal social, political and geopolitical views—views that in recent months appear increasingly aligned with far-right extremism.