I really don't think I can imagine a more on-topic thing than a story that combines the richest tech entrepreneur in the world (musk), a major tech company (twitter), and the most important technical development in ages (ai).
Off-Topic: Most stories about politics, or crime, or sports, or celebrities, unless they're evidence of some interesting new phenomenon. Videos of pratfalls or disasters, or cute animal pictures. If they'd cover it on TV news, it's probably off-topic.
I can think of many way more on-topic submissions. They are the ones where no one is upset and everyone is nerding out about an obscure topic.
Let me be clear, classifying this submission as off topic is not cut and dry. My point was there is clearly good justification for it in the official guidelines.
- it's not a topic that fosters intellectual curiosity because it is somewhat rage inducing. It's outrageous. It's frustrating and it's scary. It's very likely to upset people.
- it's also related to a controversial celebrity
- it's also about crime
- it's also something that surely will be covered by TV news
These things are laid out right there clearly in the guidelines.
I am choosing to give the moderators the benefit of the doubt because I believe they are doing their best to try and foster good intellectually curious dialog and minimize emotionally charged heel digging disrespectful debates and flame wars.
Frustrating, outrageous, upsetting, and scary things are worth discussing. These are important topics.
It seems a bit like you are shifting the goalpost here. I was clarifying how the decision to flag this submission can be explained by the HN guidelines.
I agree with your statement in principle, but it's irrelevant to my point or yours about this submission being on-topic.
I regularly discuss these kinds topics in groups with people that have diverse viewpoints, but also can maintain civil dialog. The problem is that anonymous people on the internet usually can't discuss these topics and stay civil without devolving into echo chambers. I assume this is why HN made a decision to call them out of scope. Personally I think it was a good decision and it's part of what makes HN unique and valuable. It's a kind of sanctuary.
If you want to discuss these topics there are lots of other places to go.