Remember a few months ago when Elon Musk claimed to be a "free speech maximalist"?
We all know Tesla/Elon is 69% full of shit.
The difference is that other car makers don't claim to be saving the world, nor do their CEOs claim to be "free speech maximalists," nor do they go crying to their followers every time they or their company gets even the slightest bit of criticism.
Tesla deliberately seeks out media attention, so Tesla stories attract more attention. Live by the sword, die by the sword, and all that.
Tesla also does not pay media a dime. All the other auto manufacturers do via auto ads, in hundreds of $ per vehicle sold. Some also own newspapers directly!
Publishers will do everything to favor their paying customers and make the others interested in getting more favorable coverage.
Here, watch some Tesla ads and be happy:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfMtONBK8dY
Look at the little panda!
However I don't get how libel is covered under free speech. It's one of the few forms of speech in the US that is not protected.
He has said both maximalist and absolutist[1].
1. https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/04/18/musk-tw...