Elon Musk accused of censoring right-wing X accounts in heated immigration dispute

28 December 2024, 12:21

Elon Musk is under fire after conservative accounts claimed they lost premium features on X for criticising his pro-legal immigration stance.

Elon Musk is under fire after conservative accounts claimed they lost premium features on X for criticizing his pro-legal immigration stance.

At least 14 right-wing users said their blue ticks - verification badges allowing X accounts to be monetized - were revoked after they opposed Musk's pro-legal immigration views.

On Friday, Musk called some anti-immigration Republicans "contemptible fools" and "hateful, unrepentant racists” who would "absolutely be the downfall of the Republican Party if they are not removed".

It comes amid the backdrop of a wider immigration debate in the MAGA camp, sparked by US President-elect Donald Trump’s appointment of Indian-born Sriram Krishnan as his advisor on artificial intelligence.

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The appointment was supported by Musk, who has been trying to reinvent himself from a controversial tech-billionaire to a controversial government official as part of Trump’s incoming government.

However, many anti-immigration Trump supporters have taken issue with Krishnan’s appointment, with prominent MAGA influencer Laura Loomer calling it “deeply disturbing”.

Loomer, an anti-Islam activist known for spreading conspiracy theories, runs one of the accounts that has had their blue tick removed, and posted: “Elon Musk has censored my account in retaliation for speaking out about Big Tech and immigration.

“He removed my check mark and canceled all my subscriptions. We are witnessing totalitarian censorship.

"I’m deeply disturbed by what is happening. MAGA is under attack.”

Krishnan has been the subject of racist abuse since the announcement was made, with many social media users on X claiming he is not a real American because he was born in India.

Musk, a long-time advocate of skilled immigration, has reiterated his stance on bringing top global talent to the US. "We should greatly increase legal immigration of hard-working, honest people who love America," he said last year.

"Every such person is an asset to the country."

Critics within the MAGA camp say losing the blue tick has hurt their income and visibility. Some worry it could limit their ability to post on X altogether.

When Musk bought the platform in 2022, he pledged "freedom of speech, not freedom of reach," promising that harmful posts would be "max deboosted" but not banned. He claimed this would apply to tweets, not entire accounts.

However, Musk recently hinted that user reach could decline if too many verified subscribers block or mute them.

This sparked accusations of "shadowbanning," where accounts are quietly restricted without explanation.

The row shows some cracks in the MAGA camp ahead of Trump retaking office in the new year. Remarkably, the former president has not weighed in on the debate.