Elon Musk Accused of Censoring Right-wing X Accounts Who Disagree on Immigration

By Evans Momodu
2 minute read


Elon Musk is facing allegations of censorship after several prominent right-wing accounts claimed they lost access to premium features on X (formerly Twitter) following criticism of his pro-immigration stance.

On Friday, Musk referred to some anti-immigration Republicans as "contemptible fools," describing them as "hateful, unrepentant racists" and warning they could harm the Republican Party.

At least 14 conservative accounts that criticised Musk's immigration views reported losing their blue tick verification, which is reserved for premium subscribers. Losing the blue tick also removed their ability to monetise posts, raising concerns about their ability to sustain their presence on the platform.

This has fuelled accusations of "shadowbanning," a practice where an account's visibility is significantly reduced without formal acknowledgment.

Musk has previously stated that X follows a policy of "freedom of speech" but not "freedom of reach," where controversial content is not banned but is made harder to discover.

On Thursday, Musk posted a reminder on X, stating accounts that receive disproportionately high mutes and blocks from verified users would experience reduced reach, further sparking debate over the platform’s moderation practices.

The controversy arises amid an intensifying immigration debate in the US, heightened by Donald Trump's appointment of Indian-born entrepreneur Sriram Krishnan as an AI adviser, a decision Musk supported.

Neither Musk nor X has responded to requests for comment. Critics argue the actions contradict Musk’s self-proclaimed advocacy for free expression, while supporters claim the measures target only harmful content.
Source: Sky news