Elon Musk, the world’s richest man and owner of the social media platform X, sparked a wave of responses on Sunday after calling for “more positive, beautiful or informative content” to be posted. His tweet, which was aimed at encouraging a more uplifting atmosphere on the platform, quickly led to a variety of reactions, many pointing out the contrast between his request and his own behavior on the platform.
“Please post a bit more positive, beautiful or informative content on this platform,” Musk wrote. However, his call for a shift toward positivity was met with a number of critical replies.
Karen Piper, an academic, responded sarcastically, asking, “Getting tired of the toxic wasteland you created?” The remark alluded to the often controversial and negative environment that has taken hold of the platform since Musk’s acquisition.
Larry the Cat, a popular influencer, weighed in with a biting comment: “Musk’s new and improved Twitter: 3% positive, beautiful or informative content, 97% Bots, Nazis and Temu ads.” This response highlighted ongoing concerns about the platform’s content quality and its struggles with misinformation and harmful content.
Michael Flynn Jr., a self-identified supporter of the MAGA movement, also offered a pointed retort: “Ooooooooooor what? How about ‘Please post whatever you want because I’m a free speech absolutist’?” His response referenced Musk’s well-known stance on free speech, which has been a central part of his rhetoric since acquiring the platform.
Renee Libby Yep, a democracy advocate, interpreted Musk’s request as a thinly veiled attempt to censor content, saying, “Elon Musk tweeted that we all should post more ‘positive, beautiful and informative content’ on this platform. Translation: ‘Please post only s— I agree with.'”
TV journalist Rebecca Aguilar raised a contradiction in Musk’s stance, pointing out that just months earlier, he had downplayed concerns about the impact of negative content on the platform. “Today Elon Musk asked all of you to post ‘more positive, beautiful, or informative content’ but in May 2023 he was asked about his tweets that could hurt his company,” Aguilar remarked, adding, “Basically he doesn’t care.”
Musk’s call for a more positive atmosphere on X appears to have reignited debates about the platform’s direction and his role in shaping its tone.