In this article, we will talk about Elon Musk and Alex Jones, whose account was restored on the platform X after being banned for five years. They held a live chat featuring several controversial figures, ranging from a presidential candidate to a journalist accused of rape and human trafficking.
Key Facts
Jones, the most infamous person due to his conspiracy theories, such as claiming that the Sandy Hook school shooting was fake, that the government played a role in the 9/11 attacks, and that the moon landing did not happen, had his ban lifted. Musk, the richest person in the world, reinstated Jones during a live chat and stated that the platform X should avoid banning people unless they commit illegal acts, adding that he believes X’s community notes feature will help properly verify false news.
Controversial Figures
Joining the chat at various points was controversial media personality Andrew Tate, who is facing allegations of rape, human trafficking, and organized crime; Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy; former acting national security advisor Michael Flynn, who contributed to spreading the QAnon conspiracy theory; and far-right political analyst and conspiracy activist Jack Posobiec.
Overall, most people celebrated Jones’s return to X and discussed the importance of personal freedom and how to keep entry barriers low on the platform X.
Surprising Fact
Musk asked Jones to explain why he promoted the conspiracy theory claiming that the Sandy Hook shooting was a hoax and that the families of the victims were hired actors. Jones responded that it was merely a “cover” for another idea put forth by others. He confirmed several times that he now believes the incident actually occurred.
What We Don’t Know
Why Musk decided to change his mind about Jones. Last year, when asked if he would allow Jones back, Musk referenced the Sandy Hook conspiracy theory and the death of his first child, writing: “My firstborn child died in my arms… I have no mercy for anyone exploiting children’s deaths for profit or politics or fame.”
Key Background
A court ordered Jones last year to pay over $1.5 billion to the relatives of victims of the Sandy Hook shooting in 2012 for claiming that the incident was a hoax and that some of the murdered children were still alive. Jones’s tweets reappeared on Saturday for the first time since he was permanently banned from the platform in 2018. The decision came after a poll Musk conducted on Saturday on X showed that 70% of nearly 2 million respondents favored allowing Jones back onto the platform. In his first post since his account was reactivated, Jones reshared a Saturday post from Tate encouraging Twitter users to “tell the world to go to hell” to “show respect to Alex Jones for his triumphant return and respect to Elon for being a hero.” Jones is one of several controversial figures banned by former Twitter owners who are now allowed back on the site, including former President Donald Trump and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (Georgia).
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