In a blistering address to Liberal Democrat members, former Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has launched an extraordinary attack on Elon Musk's X platform, branding it a 'digital wild west' that prioritises profit over user safety.
The Meta president and ex-Lib Dem leader didn't mince words as he criticised Musk's leadership, stating the platform had become a 'toxic cesspit' under the billionaire's ownership. His comments came during a passionate speech at the party's autumn conference in London.
Call for Digital Regulation
Clegg, who now serves as President of Global Affairs for Meta, made a compelling case for urgent government intervention. 'We need to call time on the digital wild west,' he declared, arguing that social media platforms must be held accountable for harmful content circulating on their networks.
The former deputy PM emphasised that while free speech remains paramount, 'freedom of speech is not the same as free reach,' suggesting platforms should not amplify harmful content through their algorithms.
Party Leadership Backs Tough Stance
Current Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey immediately endorsed Clegg's position, telling conference attendees that Clegg 'is absolutely right about Elon Musk and X.'
Sir Ed pledged that Liberal Democrats would push for 'tough new rules' to force social media giants to address the 'horrific abuse, racism and misogyny' that plague their platforms.
Musk's Controversial Leadership Under Fire
The criticism centres on Musk's management approach since acquiring Twitter, which he renamed X. Clegg accused the tech billionaire of allowing 'poison to just sit there and to fester' on the platform while prioritising 'what is most eyeballs, engagement, clicks, likes' over user safety.
This intervention marks one of the most significant political condemnations of Musk's platform management to date from a senior British political figure with substantial tech industry experience.
