Elon Musk said conspiracy theorist Alex Jones would be reinstated on X, a sharp reversal from the billionaire’s previous position that comes as he openly battles advertisers over their concerns about toxic content on the platform.
Musk late Saturday night Pacific time announced the reversal of the platform’s five-year-old ban on Jones after running a user poll on X about whether to reinstate him. Musk had said earlier Saturday that the reason for rescinding the ban, if the X voters approved, was to foster free speech.
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On Thursday, technology genius Elon Musk announced a reversal of his stance on Alex Jones, allowing the controversial InfoWars founder to return to the board of X Company.
The decision comes after a year of banning Jones from the board over allegations that he used his media platform to launch false theories, misinformation, and hate speech. Last year, Elon Musk wrote on Twitter that “ Alex Jones has been banned from our board, and we are working to prevent him from ever rejoining”.
While many people criticized the decision to allow Jones’s return, Musk has insisted that the decision was necessary to protect the company’s “core values of inclusion and respect”. In a statement to the press, Musk said “We believe that our core values of inclusion and respect must be applied to everyone, regardless of their personal opinions.” Musk also noted that Jones was committed to “putting an end to the spread of false theories and misinformation”.
In response to the news, Jones issued a statement thanking Elon Musk and the X Company board for the decision. “I am grateful for the chance to serve the company’s board and fulfill my duties as a director,” he said.
This news has been met with mixed reactions from the public. While some have praised Musk for reversing his stance and allowing Jones to once again serve on the board, others have expressed concern that the decision will only increase the reach of Jones’s often-controversial views.
Ultimately, only time will tell how this move will affect the board and the company as a whole. For now, Elon Musk’s move to give Jones a second chance demonstrates a commitment to the company’s ideals of inclusion and respect.
