‘The people have spoken': Elon Musk says he'll restore the X account of conspiracy theorist Alex Jones after poll

On a recent post on X, billionaire Elon Musk announced that the account of right-wing extremist Alex Jones would be reinstated on the platform, formerly known as Twitter. This reversed the decision made by the previous management of the company in 2018 to deplatform Jones for repeatedly violating rules regarding harassment and hate speech. Musk conducted a poll asking users if Jones should be reinstated, with around 70% of the nearly 2 million respondents voting ‘yes.’ Musk later stated that “the people have spoken and so it shall be.” However, as of Sunday morning, Jones’ account was still listed as suspended. Musk’s decision is likely to further impact X, as several major advertisers have recently left the platform due to concerns about hate speech and brand safety. Musk’s endorsement of an antisemitic conspiracy theory in November led to a wave of backlash and an ongoing advertiser boycott. Musk acknowledged that restoring Jones’ account could have negative financial consequences for X but argued that principles are more important than money. However, it is worth noting that Musk has taken action to restrict the speech of critics in the past. Previously, Musk had stated that he would not lift the ban on Jones due to false claims made by Jones regarding the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. However, in recent days, pressure from right-wing allies of Jones, following an interview with Tucker Carlson, led Musk to reconsider. While Musk disagreed with Jones’ comments about Sandy Hook, he posed the question of whether X believes in freedom of speech. Jones has a history of spreading false and hateful conspiracy theories, including suggesting that the Sandy Hook massacre was a hoax. He has been ordered to pay over $1 billion in damages for his lies about the shooting. Restoring Jones’ account aligns with the decisions Musk has made since acquiring X last year. He has also reinstated the account of Donald Trump and welcomed back extremists and racists who were banned before he took control of the platform. Other major social media platforms, including YouTube, Apple, and Facebook, have permanently suspended Jones’ accounts and those linked to his website, Infowars, citing abusive behavior. Twitter’s decision to ban Jones permanently came after he harassed a CNN reporter on Capitol Hill and livestreamed the encounter on the platform. In November, Musk stated that he would not reinstate Jones’ account, citing personal reasons related to the loss of his first child. However, his recent decision indicates a change of position. Some supporters of Musk expressed disappointment with his choice, citing the harm caused by Jones’ conspiracy theories and the harassment faced by the parents of the Sandy Hook victims.