We've already seen him banning accounts of people who were saying things he didn't agree with so I really don't think we can say he defends freedom of speech. What Musk seems to want to do is make money off of attracting and offering to signal boost what would be otherwise unpopular speech.

He's monetizing speech, not making it free.

Freedom of speech hasn't been an issue in a long time. Even if it was, the likes of Musk would just replace the status quo with their own restrictions on what's allowed to be said.

Thanks for the good chuckle though.

unless it conflicts with his agenda:

https://www.techdirt.com/2023/04/07/elon-musk-blocks-likes-a...

https://www.npr.org/2022/12/15/1143291081/twitter-suspends-j...

more examples here:

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2023/04/elon-musk-...

In many ways the false expert is more harmful than the do-nothing layman.

This is such a boring take. Musk could "defend free speech" (as if that is something that was ever substantially contested - Trump the shit talker par excellence has been president of the US of A), and still actually improve the world for everyone by funding medical research or the conservation of the rain forests. But yeah, let's drink some more of the Kool aid that the super rich like Musk and Trump are sticking it to the man.