**Elon Musk’s free speech commitment put to the test as Twitter censors conservative documentary**
Elon Musk, owner of Twitter, has vowed to prioritize free speech on the platform, but recent events indicate his staff may not hold the same values. After The Daily Wire’s attempt to re-release the documentary What is a Woman? was mishandled and censored by Twitter, a deeper problem within the company becomes apparent.
The Daily Wire’s documentary had its promotional deal terminated by Twitter, and the platform even throttled its release by labeling it with warning labels. A back-and-forth between The Daily Wire and Twitter ensued, only to conclude with Musk rectifying the issue and two Twitter employees stepping down. These events serve to confirm MRC Free Speech America’s earlier findings that Twitter censorship is on the rise.
According to Michael Morris, director of MRC Free Speech America and MRC Business, the ongoing censorship, the throttling of the documentary, and the subsequent staff resignations all point to a malicious attempt from within Twitter to undermine Musk’s promises to safeguard free speech. Musk later fixed the issue and promoted the documentary to his vast follower base, but not before Twitter employees had already censored the video under the pretense of “hate speech.”
After the video’s censorship was lifted, Twitter’s “brand safety” employee Maie Aiyed announced his departure from the company. Ella Irwin, head of trust and safety, also stepped down from her role. In response to speculation on whether these resignations were linked to the documentary’s censorship, Musk indicated a connection.
Despite censoring the documentary and implementing its “freedom of speech, not reach” policy to prevent resharing or liking of the video, Twitter inadvertently propelled the documentary to greater prominence. Musk predicted a record-breaking Streisand Effect, and in less than a day, the documentary accumulated nearly 63 million views.
The events surrounding the censorship and eventual triumph of the documentary illustrate the ongoing battle of free speech and the suppression of conservative voices on social media platforms. It is imperative that Big Tech is held accountable for providing transparency, clarity, and equal opportunities for all.
**Conservatives must continue to fight for their right to free speech on social media platforms and ensure transparency and fairness.**
