Elon Musk Uses His Status to Circumvent Content Moderation

April 5, 2022
A Statement by Brenda V. Castillo, President & CEO, National Hispanic Media Coalition
Billionaire SpaceX and Tesla founder, Elon Musk, has bought 9.2 percent of Twitter, of which he will avoid certain Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) transaction reporting requirements under Section 16 of the Securities and Exchange Act since he owns less than 10 percent. With his filing with the SEC, Musk yet again exploits his privilege to attempt to circumvent social media content moderation practices.
Being one of the most prominent critics of Twitter’s content moderation efforts, Musk has been frustrated with the platform regulating disinformation, hate, harassment, and conspiracy theories. Musk believes that “Twitter serves as the de facto public town square, failing to adhere to free speech principles fundamentally undermines democracy.”
By acquiring such a significant stake in Twitter and joining its Board of Directors, Musk uses his wealth and privilege to circumvent efforts to protect the public from known harms. Marginalized communities will continue to suffer from rampant disinformation and hateful content so that Musk may spew his conspiracy theories and harassment.
NHMC believes that social media platforms must adequately use their authority to remove disinformation and hate from their platforms. Thus, having Elon Musk become Twitter’s largest shareholder and joining the board of directors concerns our communities deeply.
Yours in the Movement,
Brenda Victoria Castillo
President & CEO
National Hispanic Media Coalition
National Hispanic Media Coalition (NHMC) is a 40+ year old 501(c)(3) non-profit, nonpartisan, civil and human rights organization that was founded to eliminate hate, discrimination, and racism toward Latino and marginalized communities.

We advance Latino visibility and influence from the halls of Washington, D.C., to the studios of Hollywood. Through our media advocacy and workforce development initiatives, NHMC creates spaces where diverse creators can connect, collaborate, and thrive. Our Series Scriptwriters Program, Latinx Stream Showcase, Creators Networking Program, Careers in Entertainment Youth Program, and Media Advocacy Fellowships serve as both incubators and pipelines, preparing the next generation of storytellers, advocates, and industry leaders. Through mentorship, education, networking opportunities, and direct access to entertainment executives, these programs help transform emerging talent into lasting industry voices while expanding authentic representation across media.

We lead the work to eliminate online hate and disinformation across media platforms. We advocate in the space of Artificial Intelligence when it intersects with civil & human rights, including making sure Latino-Interest and children’s protections are included in AI initiatives and implementations. We advocate for the Affordable Connectivity Program, Lifeline Program, Net Neutrality protections, and closing the digital divide for Latino and other marginalized communities. NHMC works in partnership with other social justice organizations to safeguard democracy in the United States of America.

NHMC is a not-for-profit, and provides equal opportunities to all individuals without regard to race, religion, national origin, disability, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, veteran status, or any other status protected by law.

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