# Why the hate for Elon Musk? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 14, 2022, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-hate-for-elon-musk/961053 "2022-03-14T21:22:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 14
**Author:** ![octopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/octopus/32/3716_2.png) [@octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octopus)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2022, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-hate-for-elon-musk/961053/262 "2022-04-15T00:56:35Z")
> **[Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey says blocking New York Post story was 'wrong'](https://www.cnbc.com/2020/10/16/twitter-ceo-jack-dorsey-says-blocking-post-story-was-wrong.html)** > > "Straight blocking of URLs was wrong, and we updated our policy and enforcement to fix. Our goal is to attempt to add context, and now we have capabilities to do that," Dorsey said in a tweet. Not like this wasn’t in the news for quite awhile following Twitter’s partisan censorship. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2022, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-hate-for-elon-musk/961053/263 "2022-04-15T01:14:55Z")
> [@octopus](#): > > [https://www.cnbc.com/2020/10/16/twitter-ceo-jack-dorsey-says-blocking-post-story-was-wrong.html](https://www.cnbc.com/2020/10/16/twitter-ceo-jack-dorsey-says-blocking-post-story-was-wrong.html) > > Not like this wasn’t in the news for quite awhile following Twitter’s partisan censorship Congratulations! You found one. Is it not clear why they might pull an unverified report? > [@](#): > > [Twitter](https://www.cnbc.com/quotes/TWTR) CEO [Jack Dorsey](https://www.cnbc.com/jack-dorsey/) on Friday reiterated his apology for how the company handled an [unverified New York Post report](https://www.cnbc.com/2020/10/14/facebook-makes-editorial-decision-to-limit-nypost-biden-story.html)… ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2022, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-hate-for-elon-musk/961053/264 "2022-04-15T01:16:05Z")
That’s fine in a thread about politics. But a political rant in a thread about, say, the latest Star Wars movie, just makes everyone who actually wants to talk about the movie quit in disgust. When I talk about my favorite musicians, and I do that a lot on Twitter, I do not want to hear about politics in any form. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2022, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-hate-for-elon-musk/961053/265 "2022-04-15T01:23:23Z")
> [@octopus](#): > > When real news is censored and folks are silenced to protect a favored candidate or party of course there will be those who think that’s a misuse of massive market power. “Wahhh. I’m not allowed to post white power, Nazi bullshit. Wahh. I’m not allowed to post deadly misinformation about a pandemic. Wahhh.” Save it for people who care. About your opinions, we don’t. ---
**Author:** ![octopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/octopus/32/3716_2.png) [@octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octopus)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2022, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-hate-for-elon-musk/961053/266 "2022-04-15T01:25:03Z")
It’s not their job to selectively censor based on partisan bias. Well, perhaps it is their job but that’s why those who believe in fundamental freedoms disagree with the approach of such a powerful corporation. ---
**Author:** ![octopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/octopus/32/3716_2.png) [@octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octopus)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2022, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-hate-for-elon-musk/961053/267 "2022-04-15T01:29:50Z")
‘we’? How presumptuous. And who exactly are you quoting? ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2022, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-hate-for-elon-musk/961053/268 "2022-04-15T01:31:30Z")
Which they admitted was wrong and reversed themselves on. What else you got? ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2022, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-hate-for-elon-musk/961053/269 "2022-04-15T01:44:53Z")
Which is why we need to take the power away from big corporations and… give it to literally the richest person to ever live? ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2022, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-hate-for-elon-musk/961053/270 "2022-04-15T01:45:36Z")
> [@octopus](#): > > Well, perhaps it is their job but that’s why those who believe in fundamental freedoms disagree with the approach of such a powerful corporation. Since when has [“the ability for corporations and other groups to spend money as they wish…including the creation of content that has a clear political purpose”](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/better-conservatives-where-a-response-to-coffeecat/822208/384) been a problem for you? Stranger ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Mouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mighty_mouse/32/7776_2.png) [@Mighty\_Mouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Mouse)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2022, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-hate-for-elon-musk/961053/271 "2022-04-15T01:53:39Z")
Since they got woke and grew a spine. ---
**Author:** ![epbrown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e47774/32.png) [@epbrown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/epbrown)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2022, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-hate-for-elon-musk/961053/272 "2022-04-15T01:57:26Z")
I don’t get that for a couple of reasons. Twitter is a private company, and a conservative mainstay is that private business should be allowed to do what they want (like refuse to make cakes for certain people), and Elon sure as hell subscribes to the thought that no one gets to tell you how to run your business. So when Twitter does what _they_ want, why’s it an outrage? The same billions that would buy Twitter could start a rival that the oppressed can flock to in droves. Competition is what it’s all about, right? Second - haven’t their been rumblings about holding social media legally responsible for misinformation posted on their platforms? ---
**Author:** ![octopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/octopus/32/3716_2.png) [@octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octopus)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2022, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-hate-for-elon-musk/961053/273 "2022-04-15T02:06:43Z")
> [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > Since when has [“the ability for corporations and other groups to spend money as they wish…including the creation of content that has a clear political purpose”](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/better-conservatives-where-a-response-to-coffeecat/822208/384) been a problem for you? > > Stranger Pretty good find and I still agree with that to the extent that a particular corporation isn’t claiming to be a platform. One should be able to publish or not what one would wish. One should be able to bake the cakes or not as one wishes. But when a corporation has few if any competitors in a space and also pretends to be a neutral platform but acts in a partisan form I feel that it’s fair to be able to critique that. > [@Mighty\_Mouse](#): > > Since they got woke and grew a spine. That’s pretty funny but it’s a bit farcical to claim jumping on the PC bandwagon is growing a spine. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Mouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mighty_mouse/32/7776_2.png) [@Mighty\_Mouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Mouse)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2022, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-hate-for-elon-musk/961053/274 "2022-04-15T02:10:39Z")
> [@octopus](#): > > That’s pretty funny but it’s a bit farcical to claim jumping on the PC bandwagon is growing a spine. Standing up to racist, misogynistic, misanthropic bullies is growing a spine. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2022, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-hate-for-elon-musk/961053/275 "2022-04-15T02:14:50Z")
> [@octopus](#): > > Pretty good find and I still agree with that to the extent that a particular corporation isn’t claiming to be a platform. One should be able to publish or not what one would wish. One should be able to bake the cakes or not as one wishes. But when a corporation has few if any competitors in a space and also pretends to be a neutral platform but acts in a partisan form I feel that it’s fair to be able to critique that. I’m trying to read the text but I see are flailing tentacles. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![octopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/octopus/32/3716_2.png) [@octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octopus)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2022, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-hate-for-elon-musk/961053/276 "2022-04-15T02:16:48Z")
It’s one milistranger of a post. It shouldn’t be TLDR. ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2022, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-hate-for-elon-musk/961053/277 "2022-04-15T02:42:54Z")
> [@octopus](#): > > One should be able to publish or not what one would wish. One should be able to bake the cakes or not as one wishes. But when a corporation has few if any competitors in a space and also pretends to be a neutral platform but acts in a partisan form I feel that it’s fair to be able to critique that. I mostly agree with this, although I don’t put freedom of visual expression (whether cakemaking or pornography) in the same category as freedom of speech. Baking, like publicly distributed explicit sex video, are both reasonably regulated by a government that cares about values. Want to present discrimination against gays, or violent sex, in a exciting or positive light? I hope you do not, but if you must, stick to text. One thing about Twitter is — you can post there just like you do here. This might be debatable, but I think you can probably get away with a bit more over there than here. Also, although I think privately owned forums should, of their own volition, tolerate a wide range of views, it would be much worse if government tried to enforce this. As for Musk, he might let Trump come back, but only only so long as he plays by Elon’s rules. [Consider:](https://thehill.com/policy/technology/3269056-how-an-elon-musk-led-twitter-could-change-social-media/) > [@](#): > > It’s not clear if Musk would retroactively change any of Twitter’s decisions, such as the one to ban Trump or other politicians, including Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), but he said he would be “very cautious” on permanent bans and thinks “timeouts” are a better option. Timeouts for Trump. How does that sound to conservatives? ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2022, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-hate-for-elon-musk/961053/278 "2022-04-15T03:02:37Z")
Musk has saved billions on advertising (versus competitors) by occasionally saying or behaving in ways designed to attract attention and that some people find shocking. Although the strategy saves money and has become more popular following Trump, that does not mean I have to like it. I don’t Twit. The questionable legitimacy offered by prominent people trolling just seems to bring out the worst in some people with more venom and fewer skills. People should be able to speak freely. In private conversations. They should also be able to speak freely in public. And be held responsible for what they say when it is clearly unreasonable to expect a degree of privacy. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2022, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-hate-for-elon-musk/961053/279 "2022-04-15T04:18:01Z")
I do not think partisan bias should be a basis for censorship. I do think intolerance can be. This can be pretty hard to define, obviously. Yet they seem to manage it tolerably well at the SDMB. And they do not (yet) have the funding and dominance of major influential tech companies. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2022, 7:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-hate-for-elon-musk/961053/280 "2022-04-15T07:37:05Z")
> This is not sophisticated analysis but it makes me laugh. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2022, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-hate-for-elon-musk/961053/281 "2022-04-15T08:08:21Z")
> [@octopus](#): > > When real news is censored and folks are silenced to protect a favored candidate or party of course there will be those who think that’s a misuse of massive market power. Too bad Republicans have spent the last forty years gutting anti-trust laws, otherwise we might have been able to do something about this. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-hate-for-elon-musk/961053.md?page=13) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-hate-for-elon-musk/961053.md?page=15)