Elon Musk's absolutist vision of free speech is set to transform Twitter -- the social network he recently acquired.
Free speech takes precedence over his personal safety, he told his followers in a tweet on November 7.
Musk said he would not ban the account of the man who tracks his private jet. "Even though that is a direct personal safety risk," he added.
The account in question is @ElonJet, which belongs to an American programmer named Jack Sweeney.
According to the account's Twitter bio, the tracking is done with a bot using flight data from a source called ADS-B Exchange
Earlier this year, Musk had offered the account's operator $5,000 to stop tracking his movements but he demanded $50,000 and an internship.
He did not get either.
Later, Sweeney said if Musk were to let him on his private jet and allow him to record it, he might take down the account.
His account is still up and running. It had last posted about Musk's flight from New Jersey to Austin on November 5.
Owing his fame to Musk, Sweeney is certainly thankful he is not getting suspended.
"Thank you backing your commitment to free speech," Sweeney wrote in response to Musk's tweet. "Overwhelmingly the followers of my account are supporters and admirers of your endeavors. Which was my motivation for creating @ElonJet."
There is uncertainty right now about the shape Twitter will take under Elon Musk.
Critics have warned that if content moderation on the platform is dialled back, it will lead of disinformation and harassment.
Musk himself said Twitter cannot become a free-for-all hellscape where anything can be said without the fear of consequences. He said he wants to encourage healthy debate on the platform and oppose the tendency to become divided into partisan "echo chambers", news agency AFP reported.
(With inputs from AFP)
Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!
