After conducting a poll among his supporters on Saturday, Elon Musk declared, “The people have spoken, and so it shall be,” leading to the reinstatement of conspiracy theorist Alex Jones on X, previously known as Twitter, on Sunday.
While this decision may have negative financial implications for X, Musk emphasized that “integrity is more valuable than financial gain.”
This move marks a significant reversal from the platform’s previous stance in 2018 when Jones was banned for amplifying extremist voices, spreading hate speech, and promoting racist conspiracy theories.
Musk, who had previously endorsed the ban on Jones, sought input from his followers on Saturday regarding Jones’s potential return. Despite Jones’s controversial claim that the 2012 Sandy Hook school shooting was a hoax, with approximately 70% of respondents in favor, the decision was made to reinstate Jones on X.
Although Musk had initially supported the ban on Jones, he has since embraced conspiracy theories himself after acquiring the platform in 2022. In justifying the decision, Musk reiterated his strong disagreement with Jones’s views on Sandy Hook but defended the move as a matter of free speech.
Jones infamously referred to the tragic mass shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, as a “staged event” aimed at pushing for stricter gun control laws. Following the restoration of his X account, Jones’s first action was to share a message from influencer Andrew Tate, who has faced serious allegations of rape and human trafficking.
As the founder of the far-right website Infowars, Jones remains banned from several major social media platforms, including X.
The platform faced a wave of backlash from advertisers like Disney, IBM, and Apple after Musk’s controversial actions in November, which included promoting racist stereotypes and reports of ads appearing alongside hate speech. Musk later expressed regret for his behavior but not before engaging in a profanity-laden outburst against advertisers.
This recent decision to reinstate Jones is part of a broader trend of relaxing content moderation rules on X, with Musk also restoring the accounts of other previously banned individuals, such as Kanye West and former President Donald Trump.
Musk’s sudden change of heart regarding Jones just before the anniversary of the Sandy Hook tragedy is likely to further strain X’s relationships with advertisers amid ongoing controversies.
The families of the Sandy Hook victims have faced relentless harassment from Jones’s followers, who have falsely labeled them as “actors” and forced some to relocate due to threats and intimidation. In response, these families pursued legal action against Jones, resulting in significant damages awarded by the courts totaling approximately $1.5 billion. Despite attempts to evade payment, Jones’s recent failed bankruptcy filing underscores the repercussions of his actions.
Recently, an offer was made to Jones to settle his debts for a mere 6% of the total amount owed, highlighting the financial consequences of his harmful rhetoric and behavior.
