Featured Image Credit: Patrick Fallon/ZUMA Wire/Alamy Live News. Alamy
Topics: Elon Musk, Donald Trump, Twitter
Stewart Perrie
Topics: Elon Musk, Donald Trump, Twitter
Elon Musk has revealed he would overturn Donald Trump's ban on Twitter if he was in charge.
The tech billionaire was asked about Twitter's policy on permanent bans and he said it should only be employed for very specific circumstances.
The SpaceX founder explained that bots and spam accounts should be banned if they're found to be making the same, repetitive posts on the social media site.
However, when it comes to former Presidents who are accused of inciting violence and spreading election misinformation, that's more in the grey area.
Advert
He called the original move to ban Donald Trump following the Capitol insurrection a 'morally bad decision and foolish in the extreme'.
Speaking at the FT Future of the Car conference, Musk added: "I do think it was not correct to ban Donald Trump.
"It alienated a large part of the country, and did not ultimately result in Donald Trump not having a voice. He is now going to be on Truth Social.
"So I think this may end up being frankly worse than having a single forum where everyone can debate. I guess the answer is that I would reverse the permanent ban."
He explained how this view of his was shared by Twitter's co-founder and former CEO, Jack Dorsey.
Musk said: "He [Jack Dorsey] and I are of the same mind, which is that permanent bans should be extremely rare, and really reserved for accounts that are bots, or spam/scam accounts.
"I would reverse the permaban [of Trump]."
He caveated this position by saying he doesn't 'own Twitter yet' and 'this is not something that will definitely happen'.
Musk said accounts who post things that are illegal or against Twitter's terms and conditions could be given a time-out or have their specific posts deleted or restricted.
Trump was banned from Twitter on January 8 last year, which was just two days after the Capitol insurrection.
The former US President initially copped a 12-hour suspension, but that was later upgraded to a permanent ban because he was accused of 'inciting violence'.
While the news of a potential Trump return on Twitter might delight his ardent supporters, the ex-Commander in Chief has previously said he has no interest in coming back on the social media site.
He told Fox News last month: "I am not going on Twitter. I am going to stay on Truth [Social].
"I hope Elon buys Twitter because he'll make improvements to it and he is a good man, but I am going to be staying on Truth."