Jack White blasts Elon Musk after Kanye Twitter ban: “Perhaps you’re learning how harmful it can be when you let dangerous, hateful people say whatever they want”

Having quit Twitter, accusing its CEO, Elon Musk, of “officially an asshole move” over his reversing of Donald Trump’s ban, Jack White has again hit out at Musk after the banning of Kanye West, accusing him of reaping the consequences of letting “dangerous, hateful people” say what they want.

West’s account was suspended after the rapper reportedly posted the image of a swastika inside the Star of David, which Musk said violated rules on incitement to violence. White took to his Instagram account in reaction to the ban, upbraiding Musk for his stance on free speech, in which Twitter’s content moderation of high-profile users such as West and Trump is conducted at its CEO's discretion. 

“So Elon, how’s that ‘free speech’ thing working out?” wrote White, captioning an image of West’s suspended account. “Oh, I see, so you have to CHOOSE who gets free speech and who doesn’t then? What kind of crybaby liberal suspends someone’s free speech? Conspiracy liar Alex Jones doesn't get ‘free speech’ either? I see. So you're learning that these folks incite violence and hatred but Trump…DOESN’T?”

Following a Twitter poll, Musk chose to reinstate Trump on Twitter, should the former US president choose to return to the platform. Trump was originally banned for his role in the civil unrest of 6 January, when his supporters stormed US congress in an attempt to stop the certification of Joe Biden’s election victory. 

White’s point is that, if that isn’t incitement to violence, what is? The reinstatement would make a mockery of Twitter Ts and Cs. Furthermore, White called for Musk to be tougher on content moderation, and to create a regulatory framework that would take “hate mongers” off Twitter.

“It's nice to watch in real time as you learn that all things need to be regulated, whether that be guns, drugs, alcohol, assembly, or speech because of the danger of someone or something being hurt or destroyed. They’re sometimes called ‘laws’. And perhaps you’re learning how harmful it can be when you let dangerous, hateful people say whatever they want on your stage.”

White turned off comments on his Instagram post, noting that it was his account, not the public square.

• 5 guitar tricks you can learn from Jack White

White is not alone in quitting Twitter, citing concerns over Musk’s stewardship. Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails announced on 20 November that he would be leaving the platform.

“We don’t need the arrogance of the billionaire class to feel like they can just come in and solve everything,” wrote Reznor. “Even without him involved, I just find that it has become such a toxic environment. For my mental health, I need to tune out. I don’t feel good being there anymore.”

In related news, Joe Bonamassa announced that he was stepping away from social media and letting his team handle all posts, after Instagram comments that he said made him “go onstage angry”. 

“This isn’t what I signed up for eight years ago,” wrote Bonamassa. “Social media has become such a distraction for me. This place feels like it has the maturity of high school and I fear I am gonna be provoked one day into saying something I might regret.”

While White and Reznor’s positions reference a broader concern around content moderation on privately owned platforms, and the socio-political implications of Musk’s takeover of Twitter, Bonamassa’s move highlights the pressures that are placed upon artists in the social media era. 

Social media might offer the artist and their fans the opportunity to connect with each other, for the artist to promote themselves – and in the case of Bonamassa, to inform and educate guitar culture about vintage instruments – but at what cost to their mental health?