Elon Musk’s vision for the internet is dangerous nonsense

When I read articles like this, I can’t help but to think the media has it out for social networks and the internet because it absolutely destroyed their revenue models and they’re still sore about it.

The article contradicts itself. The internet in Russia is controlled and censored, this is part of why propaganda is so successful. Not the only reason, some people just want to believe, but dictators certainly do not want a free internet at all so the articles core statement is certainly very wrong.

We are also subjected to propaganda since Google though it would be a nice idea to work more closely with government and press outlets after it established dominance in the search market. It is always the same story. A controlled internet means that someone has control. It won't be the common internet user, it will be governments like that in Russia or that in the US, China or other countries.

Trump was successful because people were fed up with established and detached politicians and activists that thought controlling language would be sensible to solve any problems. There is not much more to it, it is not rocket science. And yes, some people enjoyed the outrage someone like Trump has caused. A free internet is not the reason for this at all, it is just the same iteration on a grand misunderstanding on what motivates Trump voters.

[Silencing the opposition]

> These moves were necessary to protect American democracy.

Every dictator will think these exact line when suppressing content and information. Trump has changed formerly liberal people into caricatures without any backbone. This was his true power and how his followers see their opposition. If you think information has to be suppressed for democracy, people are correct to search for better suggestions.

I don't like Billionaires having much power over any form of communication infrastructure, but we would need people that champion a bit of freedom these days.

> even less accountable

Accountability of random internet users is not a problem, we have problems of accountability on many level in public. Twitter comments is not among that by an extremely large margin.