Elon Musk and the takeover of X: A billionaire’s vanity project

Elon Musk’s acquisition of Twitter rebranded as X, was supposed to mark the beginning of a new era of free speech and open dialogue. Instead, the platform has regressed into a cesspool of censorship and political manipulation. Musk, the self-proclaimed “free speech absolutist”, has revealed himself to be anything but. Under his leadership, X has become a platform where misinformation thrives, dissent is silent and a billionaire’s agenda takes precedence.

Many users, particularly those who criticise Musk or promote progressive causes, have reported dramatic drops in their visibility and reach

A Declining Platform

Since Musk’s takeover, X has experienced a steep decline in both user trust and functionality with the platform losing over 115,000 users in a single day following the U.S. presidential election, including high-profile figures such as Stephen King and Don Lemon.

X’s user experience has hugely suffered under Musk’s leadership. The recent introduction of features such as hidden engagement metrics, although claimed to be improvements, seems designed to obscure the platform’s declining activity levels. Many users, particularly those who criticise Musk or promote progressive causes, have reported dramatic drops in their visibility and reach.

The decision to force users into participating in AI training programs through updated terms of service has further alienated the platform’s audience. This clear monetisation of user data undermines trust and exposes Musk’s true priorities: profit and power.

Censorship and Hypocrisy

Musk’s hypocrisy is staggering. He brands himself as a champion of free speech but his actions scream authoritarian control. Musk has openly targeted prominent left-leaning figures and organisations, suspending accounts and censoring posts that contradict his personal or political views. Entire news outlets, such as NPR and The Guardian, have been driven off the platform due to Musk’s disdain for critical reporting. Paradoxically, Musk has reinstated the accounts of numerous divisive figures under the pretence of free speech, including Alex Jones who spread conspiracy theories regarding the Sandy Hook school shooting, as well as others such as Donald Trump, Kanye West and Andrew Tate, who were all banned for inciting violence.

Additionally, he recently admitted to deprioritising posts that include links to third-party sites, effectively censoring content to supposedly combat “lazy linking.” Users are now encouraged to bury links in replies, making the platform less useful for journalists, researchers, and frankly anyone seeking reliable information. These actions demonstrate that Musk’s claim of creating an open public platform has instead collapsed into a caricature of authoritarian control, with the richest man in the world deciding which voices are amplified and which are silenced.

Musk’s personal biases are now embedded into the platform’s infrastructure which he used to increase Republican voter turnout in swing states

An Authoritarian Playground

Musk’s authoritarian streak is most evident in his blatant politicisation of X. During a widely criticised interview with Trump, Musk allowed the former president to spout several blatant lies without a hint of fact-checking, including debunked claims about election fraud and false immigration statistics. This wasn’t journalism or a commitment to truth. It was Musk offering a lenient platform to one of the most polarising figures in modern politics. He has also dismantled X’s Trust and Safety Council which mitigated hate speech and propaganda, leaving users vulnerable to harassment and cementing X as a tool for spreading misinformation.

Additionally, University of Washington researchers discovered that right-leaning “newsbroker” accounts, often lacking journalistic standards, dominate X’s information landscape. These accounts, which are personally boosted by Musk, consistently outperform traditional news outlets. For instance, following the July 13 Trump assassination attempt, nine right-wing accounts received 12 times the engagement of major news outlets reporting on the same event, establishing X as a megaphone for far-right voices.

More alarmingly, Musk’s personal biases are now embedded into the platform’s infrastructure which he used to increase Republican voter turnout in swing states by hosting events, promoting hashtags, and offering daily million-dollar giveaways, further solidifying the platform’s partisanship. These actions reveal the chilling reality that Musk is manipulating X to promote his political objectives.

Users are no longer willing to tolerate a platform which prioritises the ego of a billionaire over the needs of its community

The Rise of Rival Platforms

While X declines, rival platforms such as Bluesky, Threads and Mastodon are rapidly growing. Bluesky, created by former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, has captured users who are nostalgic for the vibrant energy of Twitter’s early days. Threads, backed by Instagram’s infrastructure, offer a more mainstream alternative for casual users. Mastodon appeals to the tech-savvy, prioritising decentralisation and user control.

These platforms may lack X’s reach, but their growth expresses a growing appetite for alternatives. Users are no longer willing to tolerate a platform that prioritises the ego of a billionaire over the needs of its community.

A Tyrant in the Digital Age

Musk’s hypocrisy is not just a personal failing — it is a symptom of a larger issue. When billionaires control global platforms, they wield unparalleled influence over public discourse. Musk’s erratic decisions, arbitrary censorship, and overt political manipulation have turned X into a digital dictatorship where Musk alone decides what is acceptable.

However, this isn’t simply about Musk or X; it is a warning for the future of social media. Platforms that once encouraged democratic engagement are now being transformed into instruments of control. Musk’s takeover is a sobering reminder that no one man, no matter how wealthy or influential, should have the power to shape global conversations to serve his ego and ideology.

However as users flee to alternative platforms that value transparency, community, and accountability, they are sending a message that I hope will persist: we won’t accept a world where free expression is dictated by the whims of a hypocritical authoritarian tyrant.