Musk’s Free Speech Mantra Collides With Crackdowns on Hate Speech and Disinformation

  • Governments worldwide weigh steps to curb incendiary content
  • Officials intensify efforts after UK riots blamed on fake news
Elon Musk Photographer: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
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Elon Musk’s absolutist version of free speech has thrown the world’s richest man and his X social-media platform into the crosshairs of governments worldwide.

In the UK, officials are weighing tougher rules for sites like X after a surge of online disinformation fueled an outbreak of riots. In India, X was ordered this year to remove posts and block certain accounts in response to farmer protests. And in Brazil, Musk is in a running battle with the nation’s highest court over its orders to suspend users who had circulated fake news.