Will Elon Musk Let Gun Owners (and Companies) Have Free Speech?

by
posted on April 27, 2022
Apmusk
AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File

So, Elon Musk is buying Twitter for $44 billion. As Musk has called himself a free-speech absolutist, we wonder what this could mean for Twitter’s “weapons and weapon accessories” policy.

As this was being written, “Twitter prohibits the promotion of weapons and weapon accessories globally.”

According to Twitter:

Some examples of weapons and weapon accessories as defined in the policy include:

  • Guns, including airsoft guns, air guns, blow guns, paintball guns, antique guns, replica guns, and imitation guns
  • Gun parts and accessories, including gun mounts, grips, magazines, and ammunition
  • Rental of guns (other than from shooting ranges)
  • Stun guns, taser guns, mace, pepper spray, or other similar self defense weapons

This policy prohibits gun manufacturers, gun stores, and others from talking about, and linking to, their legally made and sold products. This inhibits the sharing of the best information on self-defense firearms. 

Musk has criticized Twitter’s censorship. He even says he wants Twitter’s algorithm, which prioritizes tweets for promotion and more, to be made public. Will this also mean that alleged shadow-banning of the politically incorrect, such as gun owners, will come to an end on Twitter?

Twitter, of course, is the social-media company that blocked users from sharing the New York Post’s reporting on information found on Hunter Biden’s laptop just before the 2020 presidential election.

Musk’s Tweets seem to indicate he’ll change these policies.

If an open forum would include all legal speech, then it would certainly include speech about a right that is specifically protected by the U.S. Bill of Rights.

After all, America’s 100-million-plus gun owners, including the many millions who recently bought their first guns over the last two years, need good, reliable, and expert facts and opinion on what firearms to buy, where to find quality training, how to properly carry and store guns, and so much more. Free speech, not government mandates, is what has made, and can still make, America even safer and, yes, freer.

Latest

Shooting Straight With Dan Reid
Shooting Straight With Dan Reid

California’s Surprise Attacks on Our Freedom

This interview with Dan Reid, NRA-ILA managing director of state and local affairs, covers a lot of the legal and legislative ground NRA members’ dues and contributions make possible.

The Armed Citizen® February 14, 2025

True stories of the right to keep and bear arms

How USAID Funded the War on the Second Amendment

For years, American taxpayers have unknowingly been funding ideological crusades that have little to do with the nation’s interests and everything to do with advancing leftist causes.

Anti-Gun Extremists Never Rest

Court activity seems to never rest and neither do anti-gun extremists who want to deprive citizens of the right to bear arms.

Gun Skills | Reloading 2: Basic Equipment

A simple array of tools is all that is needed to start handloading.



Get the best of America's 1st Freedom delivered to your inbox.