Elon Musk has finally lifted a ban on political ads put in place at Twitter to thwart misinformation before the billionaire bought the platform now called X.
Africa Today News, New York reports that barely one a week after former president Donald Trump made a post at X for the first time since January 2021, possibly deceptive political comments were once again welcomed there.
Trump announced his return to the platform that served as his favourite megaphone throughout his time as president by posting his police mugshot following his detention in Georgia.
It was his first public appearance in days following the uprising at the US Capitol, where a furious mob of his followers tried to prevent Joe Biden’s inauguration as president.
The then-Twitter permanently suspended Trump after the January 6 riot, ruling he had violated the platform’s policy on glorifying violence as he pressed his false claims that the election was stolen from him.
Musk, who bought the platform last year, reinstated the former president in November 2022, but Trump stayed away, choosing to reach his followers on his own platform, Truth Social, albeit with a much smaller audience.
X said in a blog post that allowing political ads, starting in the United States, was ‘building on our commitment to free expression.’
X policies prohibit promotion of false or misleading information, including bogus claims intended to undermine confidence in an election, the blog contended.
Trump’s recent mug shot post came with a caption reading ‘Election interference.’
A judge on Monday set March 4, 2024, for Trump’s election subversion conspiracy trial — placing one of the biggest criminal cases in American history at the height of the next White House race.
X said it is expanding its safety and elections teams to focus on combating manipulation of the platform and will provide an online center where political ads can be reviewed.
Musk slashed staffing after buying Twitter, raising concerns about its ability to moderate content and reliably function.
X said it is updating its Civic Integrity Policy for safeguarding elections to tackle content meant to intimidate or deceive voters while aligning with a Musk’s philosophy of letting people say what they want.