MSNBC has called for a boycott of the social media platform X, accusing its owner, Elon Musk, of spreading misinformation related to the upcoming election.
In an opinion article, MSNBC highlighted a report by the nonprofit Center for Countering Digital Hate, which claimed to have found 50 instances where Musk posted false information about the election. The piece also accused Musk of amplifying conspiracy theories and promoting anti-Semitism.
Journalist Jay Michaelson, who wrote the opinion piece, argued, “If every moderate-to-liberal human and organization stopped using the site, that might pressure Musk or his board of directors to stop weaponizing it.” He further explained, “It isn’t even a boycott. Leaving X isn’t like boycotting Coors because it’s too right-wing or Bud Light because it’s too left-wing. Those boycotts are fine, that’s part of capitalism too, but X is different in kind. Because unlike beer, the X product itself is the problem.”
Roger McNamee, a businessman and investor, also weighed in during an appearance on MSNBC’s “The Last Word.” He suggested that Musk could face legal consequences for spreading misinformation on his platform. “Like any American, he has a right to his own opinion and he has a right to express his opinion. However, that right is not unlimited,” McNamee argued.
He pointed out that Musk’s companies, such as Starlink and SpaceX, are government contractors, which imposes “special limitations that wouldn’t apply to normal people.”
McNamee continued, “He has obligations to the government that would for any normal person and should for him, require him to moderate his speech in the interest of national security.” He suggested that Musk’s actions could lead to a legal case because he is “actively undermining the government which is paying him.”
Since taking over X, Musk has maintained his commitment to making the platform a space for free speech, as long as it complies with the law. X has also added a “community note” feature that allows users to fact-check and add context to claims made on the platform.
Musk recently expressed concerns that freedom of speech “is under massive attack around the world.” His platform continues to face challenges from various governments, including Brazil, which has banned X entirely and is imposing heavy fines on users who access it via VPNs.