Elon Musk says he is a “self-confessed “free speech absolutist”. He may be a rich man but he doesn’t seem to know a great deal about history, or even present day world affairs. The fight for free speech began as a fight to be able to criticise Governments and those in authority without fear of imprisonment or a fine, or being visited by ‘heavies’ at 3.00 in the morning. Speech and written comment is not free, and never has been. The Laws of Slander protect people against having untruths said about them, and those of Libel similarly prevent people from being labelled untruthfully in writing.
It is rumoured that Musk may reinstate Trump on Twitter, but Trump of all people is a champion writer and speaker of untruths and as we now know will resort to violence, breaking and entering in pursuit of his aims. Mr Musk should try to publish a bit of his wonderful ‘free speech’ in places like Russia or Myanmar and see where he ends up. Law doesn’t pass for much there.
