Several advocacy groups have launched a new campaign on Friday to stop Tesla CEO Elon Musk from buying Twitter for $44 billion, arguing that he will weaken crucial safeguards on the social network if he is allowed to take control.
"Stop the Deal"
The Stop the Deal campaign includes plans to exert pressure on regulatory agencies to investigate the transaction, urge Tesla stockholders to oppose the deal, and ask advertisers to withhold spending from the social platform.
It echoes concerns expressed by many progressives about Musk's acquisition and plans for a more open platform, leading to increased abuse and harassment on the network claimed by the groups.
Accountable Tech, GLAAD, the Center for Countering Digital Hate, and MediaJustice are among the participating charities.
On their website, the Stop the Deal campaign warns that Musk "would steamroll basic content moderation safeguards" and enable a platform for "extremists who traffic in white nationalism, hate, disinformation, and harassment. "
The groups fear that it could further endanger marginalized groups without these safeguards. The campaign site further states that Musk would reinstate banned public figures on the platform after inciting violence and disinformation.
Among those public figures is former President Donald Trump, who was suspended from Twitter in the wake of the insurrection at the Capitol last Jan. 6. Musk even argued that Trump should be back on Twitter.
Musk has stated that his motive for purchasing Twitter stems from his appreciation for the site and his opinion that it should be used as a more open discussion for a diverse range of ideologies.
According to Musk, permanent bans, such as the one now in place on Trump, should be avoided in favor of temporary ones.
"More Extreme Voices"
Rahna Epting, executive director of MoveOn, argued in a statement that Elon Musk's acquisition deal "will not lead to more 'free speech on the platform."
She believes that it will only lead to "more extreme voices" abusing Twitter to promote "hate, violence, and harassment."
The campaign's organizers encouraged users to tweet their disapproval to Musk, Twitter advertising, and Tesla shareholders.
The groups claim that the government could use multiple legal and regulatory actions to thwart the deal. They said that one of the options could be the Securities and Exchange Commission revoking Musk's ability to serve as a director or officer of a public corporation, citing, among other things, how he did not disclose his initial investment in the bird app.
According to the alliance, the US Committee on Foreign Investment could also change the conditions of the agreement if it finds that foreign investments pose a threat to national security. They cited a disclosure saying that the acquisition would be partially funded by Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal Al Saud and Qatar's sovereign wealth fund.
The group also claimed that if the deal is found to be anti-competitive, the Federal Trade Commission could sue to stop it. However, given Twitter's modest share of the social media business compared to peers like Meta's Facebook, this path would most certainly be complicated.
This article is owned by Tech Times
Written by Joaquin Victor Tacla
