Twitter Forms 'Content Moderation Council': Will It Promote Free Speech?

Elon Musk's takeover of Twitter has witnessed a flurry of activities. The Tesla CEO quickly got to work, and let the top management go. Musk has been very vocal about his plans for Twitter, and looks like he wants them implemented quickly. In an effort to address certain ideological imbalances and approach toward free speech, Musk has indicated Twitter will have a "Content Moderation Council" with widely diverse viewpoints. Let's see how this council will work, and if it will have any impact on Twitter's attitude toward respecting opinions.

Twitter To Form "Content Moderation Council"

After a series of Tweets confirming the Twitter takeover, Elon Musk met several of his employees. It appears he may have assured them that 75% downsizing isn't on the agenda, but also cautioned that some terminations could be expected. Musk's entry immediately translated into the exit of Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal, the company's legal head Vijaya Gadde, and Chief Financial Officer Ned Segal.

With the top executives gone, Musk seems to have embarked on a journey to remedy Twitter's heavy-handed approach toward free speech and censorship. Musk confirmed Twitter will soon have a dedicated "Content Moderation Council".

Incidentally, this seems to be Elon Musk's first tweet after the Twitter takeover, presumably to signal that he is there to make some fundamental changes. Previously, Musk had indicated that he wants Twitter to be a "common digital town square, where a wide range of beliefs can be debated in a healthy manner, without resorting to violence". Musk had even claimed that Twitter's acquisition wasn't "to make more money", but "try to help humanity".

It appears he has chosen to prioritize free speech and changing the common perception of Twitter. The Content Moderation Council could become one of the critical aspects that come to define Twitter, but only if it has enough powers.

Will Content Moderation Council Work On?

As the name suggests, the Content Moderation Council would be responsible for looking at content that might be considered offensive, inappropriate, and may be worthy of being censored or removed. The other main duty of the council would be to look at bans. In other words, the council would deliberate on unblocking the accounts of people who have been permanently suspended.

According to Musk's tweet, "No major content decisions or account reinstatements will happen before that council convenes". Simply put, each account ban may be considered on a case-by-case basis. This also means the rumored mass-unblocking of controversial users won't happen overnight. Perhaps some former users might not get their accounts reinstated at all.

As far as tweets flagged for inappropriate content are concerned, it might not be possible for the council to take the same approach. This is where Elon Musk's insights and intentions could become clear. The council could steer Twitter in the direction Musk intends. It could help design algorithms that treat content with less bias and promote free speech.

Musk has previously indicated that he considers account bans to go against the commitment to free speech. However, he also assured advertisers that Twitter won't be "a free-for-all hellscape, where anything can be said with no consequences!" This suggests Musk wants to take a balanced approach.