Elon Musk Vows to Fund Legal Fees to Challenge Irish Hate Speech Bill
Elon Musk, the billionaire owner of social media company X (previously known as Twitter), pledged to financially support legal challenges against an upcoming Irish hate speech bill.
Musk, in an interview with Gript, an Irish news outlet, expressed his intent to defend free speech and fund the legal expenses of Irish citizens opposing the bill.
The proposed legislation aims to curb hate speech, addressing issues like inflammatory online content and hate crime. It would criminalize actions that incite violence or hatred against individuals or groups based on race, gender, or religion.
The Irish government argues that current laws are outdated, especially regarding online hate speech.
Since acquiring X for $44 billion in October 2022, Musk has dealt with criticism over increased hate speech on the platform. The company, with its European base in Dublin, came under scrutiny for its handling of riots in the city, with some attributing the violence to far-right users on the platform.
Following the unrest, which began with a stabbing outside a school, Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar called for stricter regulation of online extremism.
Post-riots, Musk controversially tweeted that the Irish Prime Minister seemed to despise the Irish people and that suppressing them was the true crime.