Elon Musk restores account of conspiracy theorist Alex Jones on X

It’s a reversal of a 2018 decision by the social media platform’s former administration to ban Jones after he promoted hate speech and antisemitic conspiracy theories and elevated extremist voices.

On Saturday, Musk requested his followers in an unscientific ballot whether or not Jones — who has falsely claimed that the 2012 Sandy Hook faculty mass killing was “staged” — ought to come again. In a video, Jones additionally requested his followers to vote for his return. About 70 % within the X ballot stated sure.

Musk, who has himself supported conspiracy theories on the platform since he purchased it in 2022, had beforehand backed a ban on Jones. Within the put up asserting the change, Musk stated he nonetheless “vehemently” disagrees with Jones about Sandy Hook however justified his resolution on free speech grounds.

Jones has referred to as the mass killing on Dec. 14, 2012, in Newtown, Conn. — which claimed the lives of 20 kids and 6 educators — a “staged occasion” plotted to result in stricter gun legal guidelines. His first transfer after his X account was reinstated Sunday was to repost a message from Andrew Tate, an influencer who has been charged with rape and human trafficking, that welcomed Jones again to the social media web site.

Jones, a longtime provocateur and proprietor of the far-right web site Infowars, remains to be banned from different main social media websites. Infowars can also be nonetheless banned by X.

Within the wake of a firestorm that Musk ignited in November by amplifying antisemitic tropes, and a media watchdog report that company advertisements had been showing alongside hate speech, main advertisers reminiscent of Disney, IBM and Apple have fled the platform. Musk later apologized for an antisemitic tweet however not earlier than unleashing an expletive-filled rant by which he informed advertisers who pulled their cash to “go f— your self.”

That controversy was simply the newest incident within the rise of far-right speech on X after the platform dramatically loosened its content material moderation guidelines. And Musk — additionally the CEO of Tesla and House X — has reinstated the accounts of some previously banned members, reminiscent of former president Donald Trump and Kanye West.

Musk’s turnaround on Jones, which comes shortly earlier than the anniversary of the Sandy Hook mass killing, is prone to additional worsen the financially stricken firm’s relationship with advertisers.

A few of Jones’s followers have bodily confronted the grieving members of the family. Others have referred to as the victims’ mother and father “actors” who falsely claimed to have kids. Some mother and father have needed to transfer after enduring harassment and threats.

The households efficiently sued Jones, and courts have thus far awarded about $1.5 billion in damages. Jones, who has been evading payment, then tried to assert private chapter, with out success.

Final month, households provided Jones a deal to settle the debt for less than about 6 % of what he owed.