BP Exclusive

Exclusive: the X Files – how Elon Musk’s new rules allow hate to flourish

Leaked documents reveal how staff of the social media channel were stripped of powers to remove toxic content from its platform

Elon Musk, a self-described free-speech absolutist, has spoken openly about the changes he has made to content moderation on X. Picture: Getty

Elon Musk’s X has instructed staff not to suspend users that post explicitly racist, sexist and homophobic content, or who send sexual material to another person, as part of a new policy that has radically stripped back the company’s moderation of abusive material.

Confidential documents obtained by the Business Post reveal in detail how X, formerly Twitter, has significantly watered down its trust and safety rules over recent months, and how its policies allow abusive ...