Elon Musk has long argued that his « general amnesty » plan for banned accounts is essential to reinstating free speech on the platform. Yet data shows that within this first wave of restored accounts are numerous purveyors of harmful misinformation, including prominent anti-vaccine activists, conspiracy theorists, and far-right extremists.
Organizations monitoring online safety have raised alarms. « What we’re seeing is potentially one of the largest restorations of dangerous accounts on a major social platform, » said Melissa Ryan, director of Tech and Society Research Institute. Their research identifies over 40,000 accounts that appear to have been restored.
While Musk claims moderation policies haven’t changed, former employees with knowledge of content moderation systems disagree. « The infrastructure that allowed us to enforce policies consistently has been systematically dismantled, » said one former team member who requested anonymity.
This policy shift occurs as advertisers express growing concerns about brand safety. Major companies including Apple, Disney, and IBM have already reduced spending on the platform, with some citing concerns about content appearing alongside their advertisements.
Visit Trustworthy News for our complete analysis of these policy changes and their potential impact on online discourse.
