Elon Musk, the billionaire entrepreneur and tech magnate, participated in a nearly two-hour discussion focused on anti-Semitism, free speech, and his social media platform X—formerly known as Twitter. The conversation, led by conservative Orthodox Jewish commentator Ben Shapiro and hosted by The Daily Wire, included an array of Jewish men, most of whom identified as conservatives. The dialogue was part of a forum entitled "X, Anti-Semitism, Faith, and Free Speech."
The discussion emerged in the context of a broader debate about X's role in public discourse. Recently, more than 120 Jewish activists, primarily progressives, called for advertisers and app stores to abandon the platform. The call followed Elon Musk's series of attacks on the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), an organization he blames for an advertising boycott that led to a decline in X's revenue. Musk has even threatened to sue the ADL for billions of dollars for defamation. Moreover, he has given prominence to accounts on X that share his criticism of the organization.
During the conversation, Musk expressed his belief that allegations of rising anti-Semitism on his platform were unfounded. To bolster this claim, he said that unidentified "multiple third parties" have confirmed that hate speech has declined since his takeover of the platform. While he vehemently denied being anti-Semitic, Musk went as far as to describe himself as "aspirationally Jewish," due in part, he claimed, to his large circle of Jewish friends.
I am a son of Morris Grunstein,Z"L, a survivor of Auschwitz & Ida,a victim of Soviet Siberian camps,where her father was eliminated for wanting to remain Jewish.There's no right or left when it comes to antisemitism;it's just evil.End Jew Hatred https://t.co/zhRvTeMISd pic.twitter.com/o6M9HYdPxF
— Leonard Grunstein (@LenGrunstein) September 27, 2023
Walter Isaacson’s recent biography of Musk, which found no evidence of anti-Semitism, was cited by the entrepreneur as further proof against such accusations. Musk stated, "If I were anti-Semitic, a smart guy like Isaacson would have figured it out."
The forum also delved into the practical measures X was taking or considering to combat hate speech. Musk articulated a preference for addressing anti-Semitic posts with "counterpoints" rather than de-platforming users. He argued that de-platforming would only serve to create "hidden anti-Semites," which he considered potentially more harmful. On a related note, Musk revealed that X might experiment with a policy of "freedom of speech, but not reach," implying that visibility for hateful accounts could be reduced.
Attended a great @X space with Elon Musk and Ben Shapiro. Here’s what Elon thinks about conspiracy theorists lol.#X #Antisemitism #Faith #FreeSpeech pic.twitter.com/IXyGbXz0KV
— M. Fox (@OnlyMFox) September 28, 2023
Musk was noncommittal when Rabbi Menachem Margolin, the chair of the European Jewish Association, invited him to visit Auschwitz. While initially dismissing the need for such a visit, Musk later said he would "seriously consider it." Likewise, he was reticent to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Association’s working definition of anti-Semitism.
During the call, participants discussed the definition of anti-Semitism and its impact on free speech. Former Israeli politician Natan Sharansky suggested that anti-Zionist speech be limited on the platform, but Musk argued that there was value in avoiding "draconian" measures. The discussion brought to light the complex interplay between economic considerations and moral imperatives when regulating hate speech.
“My entire life story is, in fact, pro-Semitic,” Musk told Ben Shapiro. “I actually went to Hebrew preschool … in South Africa when I was kid. Now, I don’t know if I’m genetically Jewish...but [I’m] aspirationally Jewish.” By @andrewjbernie https://t.co/fL6qWFywnC
— Algemeiner (@Algemeiner) September 28, 2023
The forum offered insights into Musk's nuanced, if controversial, stance on tackling anti-Semitism on X. Overall, Musk felt that his platform was doing well in fighting against anti-Semitism, although admitting that there was room for improvement. “My entire life story is, in fact, pro-Semitic. My values match those of the Jewish people—knowledge, reading, understanding, and debating," he stated.
Interestingly, Musk's appearance came less than a day after X's CEO, Linda Yaccarino, spoke at a tech conference in Dana Point, California. Addressing the feud with the ADL, Yaccarino lamented the lack of attention given to the platform’s progress on the issue of anti-Semitism.
(**To listen to the full event, click play on the module embedded within this tweet below)
I’ll be talking with @elonmusk, along with my co-host @arilamm and a panel of esteemed leaders in the Jewish community, where we’ll talk about X, anti-Semitism, and what it all means for free speech. Tune in tomorrow, Thursday 9/28 at 12pm ET! https://t.co/AspCHC1BIt
— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) September 27, 2023
The forum thus served as a comprehensive exploration of Musk's views on anti-Semitism, illuminating the challenges and complexities of moderating a social media platform that has become an integral part of global conversations.
