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Elon Musk Twitter.JPG
Reuters
Elon Musk Twitter.JPG
Reuters
USA News

'I am really concerned': Musk's Twitter takeover dividing Christians in free speech debate

by Sophie Drew

Elon Musk's decision to take over Twitter is dividing Christians in a debate over free speech.

Since the billionaire took control of the social media platform, there has been more than 50,000 trolling or hateful tweets from 300 accounts.

The Tesla founder is in favour introducing a more lenient approach to free speech on the website; he's already reinstated Kanye West's account despite the rapper being banned for posting extreme, anti-Semitic tweets. 

Despite the controversy, some Christians on social media are celebrating a landmark moment in the rights of freedom of speech and expression, allowing them to publish traditionally-held Christian beliefs - particularly surrounding gender criticisms or LGBTQ+ marriage - without being banned. 

Musk has labelled himself a "free speech absolutionist." 

However, not all are happy with the news. 

Matthew Batten, church communications specialist, told Premier Christian News: "I am really concerned about the freedom of speech question, particularly the way Elon Musk talks about [it,] because freedom of speech is absolutely great in a democratic society, but it doesn't give you a licence to hurt others. 

"It doesn't give you free rein to say whatever you like. 

"The people that he's wanting to bring back on the platform - like Kanye West is back, after some very appalling anti-Semitic comments. 

"He's talking about bringing Donald Trump back. 

"Now, these are people who are spreading disinformation and lies; that's not freedom of speech, that's propaganda, and it moves into hate crime as well. 

"So I think without the checks and balances that Twitter have already put in place to limit the amount of hate speech, it's very, very dangerous for people who are impressionable, and follow people with a big reach like Kanye West, who then start thinking, well, this is just a normal attitude to have - and it's not. 

"It's very dangerous and very hateful."

After taking over the site, Musk tweeted: "The bird is freed." 

He now plans to create a "content moderation council" to decide the parameters of the "free speech" rules on the site. 

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