Latest / Elon Musk Podcast / Paris mayor says she’s quitting Elon Musk’s ‘global sewer’ platform X

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Paris mayor says she’s quitting Elon Musk’s ‘global sewer’ platform X · Elon Musk Podcast

• 0:01
  Hey everybody, welcome back to the Elon Musk Podcast.
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  This is a show where we discuss the critical Crossroads, the
• 0:08
  Shape, SpaceX, Tesla, X, The Boring Company, and Neuralink.
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  I'm your host, Will Walden. Today's episode is about X,
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  formerly known as Twitter and Hidalgo.
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  The mayor of Paris has announced her decision to leave the social
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  media platform formerly known as Twitter, now owned by Elon Musk.
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  She criticized the platform for becoming a hub for
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  disinformation, hatred and undermining democratic
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  processes. Hidalgo cited the platform's
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  deviation from its original purpose and the negative impact
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  on political and social discourse.
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  This move comes amidst A broader exodus from the platform by
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  media companies and advertisers following Musk controversial
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  statements and policies as of late.
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  In a move signaling growing discontent with the social media
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  environment and Hidalgo, the mayor of Paris and a significant
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  political figure, has eclared her intention to leave the
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  social media platform. Her departure comes amid
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  increasing concerns over the platform's role in spreading
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  disinformation and hatred, a development she blames on its
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  current owner, Elon Musk. Now Mayor.
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  Hidalgo's decision follows a period marked by political
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  challenges and public scrutiny. She's been under fire for her
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  trip to the French South Pacific territories, an issue that has
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  become entangled with her city's preparations for the upcoming
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  2024 Summer Olympics. Her criticism of the platform,
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  however, extends beyond personal grievances.
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  She's expressed alarm over the nature of discourse on the
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  platform, which she believes has significantly deteriorated since
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  Musk took control in October of 2022.
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  It All Goes critique centers around the platform's
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  transformation into a space hostile to democratic values and
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  constructive debate. She accuses the platform of
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  being overrun with anonymous accounts and troll farms,
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  elements she believes are anti ethical to healthy democratic
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  discourse. And her departure is not an
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  impulsive reaction to recent criticism she faced, but a
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  decision that has been considered over a great amount
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  of time. The Mayor's announcement
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  reflects a broader trend of disillusionment with a platform
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  under Musk's leadership. Under statement, Hidalgo notes
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  this shift in the platform's ethos, moving from a space
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  fostering information exchange and healthy debate to 1 where
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  algorithms amplify attacks on those engaging in peaceful
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  political discussions. She points to a troubling report
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  that ranked France as the leading European country for
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  postings of violent and illegal content on the platform.
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  And this is and this disenchantment with the platform
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  is not limited to political figures.
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  Recently, a slew of major media brands and advertisers have
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  paused or ceased their activities on the platform.
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  This reaction comes in the wake of Musk's endorsement of an
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  anti-Semitic conspiracy theory on the platform, which has led
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  to significant reputational damage for Twitter or X
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  companies like Disney, Paramount and Warner Brothers.
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  Discovery had halted their posts on the platform, shifting their
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  focus to other social media networks.
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  Now the situation is exacerbated by Musk's personal contributions
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  to the problematic content on the platform, including his
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  controversial statements. And these actions have
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  contributed to a perception that the platform is increasingly
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  becoming a conduit for hate speech and misinformation.
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  And the exodus of major companies and the possible long
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  term withdrawal of advertisers poses a significant challenge to
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  X's financial stability and the public perception of the
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  platform. Now, Mayor Hidalgo's departure
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  and her call for more respectful and constructive social media
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  environments underscores the growing concern over the state
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  of online discourse. Her move to other platforms like
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  Facebook, Instagram and also Blue Sky reflects a search for
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  spaces where democratic values and constructive dialogue or
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  more readily fostered. This shift points to a potential
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  realignment in the social media landscape, as users and
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  organizations seek platforms to better align with their values
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  and the needs of a healthy, democratic society.
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  And as the social media landscape continues to evolve,
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  the discussions of public figures like Mayor Hidalgo and
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  major corporations will likely play a significant role in the
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  shaping of the future of online discourse.
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  In the role of social media in public life now, Elon Musk's
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  personal contributions to the platform have further fueled the
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  backlash. His statements and policies have
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  been linked to an increase in hate speech and misinformation,
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  raising serious concerns about the platform's direction in its
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  role in the public discourse And now the withdrawal of
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  advertisers and content providers poses a significant
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  threat to the financial stability of the platform.
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  This situation is exacerbated by the loss of confidence amongst
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  users and also corporate partners and advertisers, which
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  could lead to long term financial and reputational
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  damage. Now, in her announcement, Mayor
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  Hidalgo expressed her intention to join other social media
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  networks that she believes are more conducive.
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  The respectful exchanges and constructive dialogue in this
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  move aligns with her commitment to preserving democratic values
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  and meaningful communication. You know the Mere's decision to
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  explore platforms like Facebook, Blue Sky, and Instagram is
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  indicative of a potential shift going on.
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  And her departure raises important questions about the
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  role of social media going forward in the support of
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  undermining democratic processes, to be exact.
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  And the need for platforms that foster constructive debate and
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  truth seeking is becoming increasingly apparent.
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  Of the exodus of public figures and major companies from the
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  platform could signal a realignment.
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  Platforms that prioritize democratic values in
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  constructive dialogue may gain prominence, reflecting a change
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  in user preferences and societal needs going forward.
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  And the decisions of individuals like Mayor Hidalgo and large
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  corporations will likely influence the evolution of
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  online discourse. Their choices under score the
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  importance of social media platforms reassessing their
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  policies and impact on public life.
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  Now, Anne Hidalgo's departure from social media Platform X is
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  more than personal, though. It's a statement about the
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  current state of online discourse and the need for
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  platforms to support democratic values.
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  For her, her move, along with withdrawal of the major brands,
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  signals a potential turning point in social media in the
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  role that these platforms play in shaping public and political
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  discourse. Thank you so much for listening
• 6:41
  to the show today, and remember to hit the subscribe or the
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  follow button on whatever podcast platform you're
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  listening on right now. It's free, only takes a second,
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  and every episode is about 10 minutes or under to help you
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  catch up quickly with all the latest news.
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  Also, if you want to help us out, go to patreon.com/stagezero
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  O We can continue to make new eisodes every single day.
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  Take care of yourselves and each other and I'll see you tomorrow.