Elon Musk says that Twitter’s mission is to become the most accurate source of information about the world, while restating his commitment to free speech even if it comes at “personal safety risk” to himself.
Musk, a self-described free speech absolutist, took to Twitter on Nov. 6 to reiterate his pledge for open discourse on Twitter.
“My commitment to free speech extends even to not banning the account following my plane, even though that is a direct personal safety risk,” Musk wrote.
He was referring to the ElonJet account set up by college student Jack Sweeney, who has been tracking Musk’s flights using publicly available data since 2020.
Musk’s pledge to not shut down the jet-tracking account drew a sympathetic response.
“Thank you for backing your commitment to free speech. Overwhelmingly the followers of my account are supporters and admirers of your endeavors,” Sweeney wrote via the ElonJet account.
Sweeney earlier dismissed suggestions that Musk would axe the account after taking ownership of Twitter.
“I’m not worried now that Musk owns Twitter. If he banned ElonJet, the news would be all over it, so I don’t think he will do it,” Sweeney wrote in an op-ed in Newsweek.
Sweeney also wrote on his personal Twitter account that he’s against people using the jet account to track down Musk and look for him in person, saying that he’s open to discussing with Musk taking the account down.
Musk had reportedly requested that Sweeney take down the account over a security risk, telling the student in a message cited by the Protocol that he doesn’t “love the idea of being shot by a nutcase.”
Twitter’s New Mission?
Nearly two weeks after taking over Twitter and becoming its new CEO, Musk wrote in a Twitter post: “Twitter needs to become by far the most accurate source of information about the world. That’s our mission.”
By Tom Ozimek
