OPINION | As the owner of a major social media platform, Elon Musk wields immense power – how can we ensure that the public does not fall for his incendiary nonsense? asks

suggested that “civil war” was inevitable in response to false claims about the recent UK riots, he sparked a diplomatic firestorm. The British government condemned his comments, with one official complaining that Musk was “accountable to no one.”

But the incident also highlighted a troubling reality: as the owner of a major social media platform, Musk wields immense power to spread incendiary content—and almost any traditional way of trying to stop him would inevitably backfire. social media platforms asking them to follow codes of practice to minimize harm.

That all sounds well and good in a world in which the platforms want to minimize harm. But what happens when one platform, X, is run by a guy like Elon Musk who seems to be actively and excitedly fanning the flames of harm?

Last weekend, as the riots were increasing Musk seemed unbothered. A video featuring British Director of Public Prosecutions Stephen Parkinson, saying people sharing material deemed likely to incite racial hatred could be prosecuted, which was posted by the account “End Wokeness” was retweeted by Musk, with his added caption, “Woke Stasi.”