The Company Musk Keeps

Elon Musk’s Defense of Alex Jones and What It Reveals

Elon Musk, once celebrated for his groundbreaking innovations, has taken another troubling step in his metamorphosis from visionary to provocateur. In a baffling move, Musk’s company, X (formerly Twitter), has entered the legal fray surrounding Alex Jones, objecting to the transfer of Jones’ accounts as part of a bankruptcy settlement. Musk’s justification? The sanctity of X’s Terms of Service (TOS), which prohibit account transfers. This legal argument has emboldened Jones, who now hails Musk as a “hero,” a jarring shift given Musk’s prior condemnation of Jones for profiting from the deaths of children.

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A Monster Rehabilitated?

Let’s not mince words: Alex Jones is a monster. His grotesque lies about the Sandy Hook massacre inflicted unimaginable pain on grieving families and earned him over $1.5 billion in damages. Jones represents the worst humanity has to offer, a man who profits by exploiting tragedy and stoking division. For Musk to intervene, even on a procedural point, is to lend Jones a veneer of legitimacy he doesn’t deserve.

Yet Musk’s intervention isn’t just about Alex Jones. It’s part of a larger pattern, one that includes cozying up to figures like Donald Trump. Musk recently hosted Trump on X, offering a platform to a man who incited an insurrection and remains a symbol of political chaos. Like Jones, Trump thrives on disinformation and division. Musk’s willingness to amplify such voices shows a troubling comfort with figures who undermine truth, decency, and democracy.

The Hypocrisy of TOS Enforcement

Musk’s argument about TOS compliance might seem principled on the surface, but it’s hollow when viewed in context. As someone who has filed complaints against platforms like META and YouTube for failing to enforce their TOS, I find Musk’s selective invocation of X’s rules both disingenuous and just plain horseshit. As I learned with the likes of Google and Meta, platforms routinely ignore their own guidelines, enabling harmful content like Alison’s murder while claiming plausible deniability. Musk’s sudden devotion to X’s TOS feels less like a principled stand and more like a convenient excuse to stir controversy. It’s simply appalling.

The irony is palpable. Musk’s alignment with Jones and Trump—the former a man who ruined lives with conspiracy theories, the latter a man who nearly toppled democracy (and still could)—suggests a recklessness that borders on nihilism. Both Jones and Trump are emblematic of the chaos Musk increasingly seems to court.

A Race to the Bottom

What does it say about Musk that Alex Jones now calls him a hero? Or that Donald Trump, after being deplatformed by nearly every major social media outlet, found a willing host in X? It suggests Musk isn’t merely tolerating bad actors; he’s inviting them to the table. Once a symbol of progress, Musk now appears more interested in amplifying the loudest and most destructive voices in the room.

In some ways, Musk, Jones, and Trump are on parallel paths, each vying for the title of most divisive public figure. Jones weaponizes conspiracy theories; Trump destabilizes institutions; and Musk enables them both, all while cloaking his actions in the language of free speech and fairness. The result is a race to the bottom, with Musk quickly catching up.

The Broader Implications

This isn’t just about Musk, Jones, or Trump. It’s about the broader failure of tech leaders to wield their power responsibly. By selectively enforcing rules and courting controversy, platforms like X, META, and YouTube perpetuate the harm they claim to combat. Musk’s entanglement with Jones and Trump isn’t just disappointing—it’s dangerous. It normalizes their behavior and signals to others that the worst among us still have a seat at the table.

Once hailed as a beacon of innovation, Musk now finds himself in troubling company. Jones and Trump represent two sides of the same coin: one a purveyor of conspiracy, the other a destabilizer of democracy. By aligning himself with them, even indirectly, Musk risks solidifying his role as a third pillar in this trifecta of chaos.

And you wonder why I continue to beat the drum to amend or revoke Section 230—the legal provision shielding platforms like X, META, and YouTube from liability for the content they host. For too long, this law has served as a Get-Out-of-Jail-Free card for the worst actors in the digital age.