In a shocking (but not entirely surprising) move, Elon Musk has banned Robert De Niro from his social media platform X. The tech billionaire, who is known for his cryptic tweets and controversial opinions, has stated that there is no place for De Niro’s “woke agenda” on his platform.
“I’m a supporter of free speech,” Musk tweeted. “But that doesn’t mean I have to allow people to use my platform to spread ideas I disagree with.”
De Niro, an outspoken supporter of the Democratic Party and critic of Donald Trump, has been vocal on political and social issues. He recently criticized Musk for his acquisition of Twitter, calling it “a bad thing for the country.”
“I don’t understand why Elon Musk thinks he can run a social media company,” De Niro said in a recent interview. “He has no experience with it.”
Musk was clearly unhappy with De Niro’s comments. “Robert De Niro is a talented actor,” Musk tweeted. “But he is not a social media expert. He should focus on acting and let me run X.”
Social media reactions were mixed. Some praised Musk for “standing up for free speech,” while others criticized him for “abusing his power” and “stifle dissenting opinions.”
“Elon Musk is trying to turn X into his own personal yank room,” one Twitter user wrote.
“I disagree with Robert De Niro on everything,” another wrote. “But he has a right to his opinion.”
It’s unclear whether Musk’s ban on De Niro is permanent. One thing is for sure, though: It has sparked a fierce debate about free speech and the role of social media companies.
And in a related development, Musk also announced that he is developing a new algorithm that can detect and remove “woke opinions” from X. “It’s called ‘The Woke-O-Meter,’” Musk tweeted. “And it’s available tomorrow.”
We’ll continue to follow this story and update you as more information becomes available.
