Former Labor Secretary Robert Reich has expressed concerns about Elon Musk's influence and has proposed six actions to limit his power. These actions include boycotting Tesla and X, threatening Musk with arrest for spreading misinformation, and terminating government contracts with SpaceX.
Former Labor Secretary Robert Reich, who served during Bill Clinton's presidency, has penned an article expressing his alarm at Elon Musk's growing influence and power. Reich argues that Musk's purchase of Twitter, now known as X, is a dangerous development that must be curtailed.
Reich's concerns stem from his belief that Musk's actions are driven by a desire for power rather than a commitment to free speech. He cites Musk's endorsement of Donald Trump, his dissemination of misinformation and hate speech on X, and his disregard for public safety and interest as evidence of his reckless behavior.
Elon Musk's Dangerous Power: Former Labor Secretary Calls for Action to Rein in Tech Giant
To combat Musk's growing power, Reich proposes six actions:
1. Boycotting Tesla and X: Reich urges consumers to boycott Musk's companies to send a clear message that his actions are unacceptable.
Elon Musk's Dangerous Power: Former Labor Secretary Calls for Action to Rein in Tech Giant
2. Threatening Musk with arrest: Reich argues that global regulators should threaten Musk with arrest if he continues to spread lies and hate speech on X. He cites the recent arrest of Telegram CEO Pavel Durov in France for allowing criminal activity on its platform as a precedent.
3. Demanding Musk to remove harmful content: Reich suggests that the Federal Trade Commission demand that Musk remove lies that are likely to endanger individuals and sue him if he fails to do so.
Elon Musk's Dangerous Power: Former Labor Secretary Calls for Action to Rein in Tech Giant
4. Terminating government contracts with SpaceX: Reich questions the wisdom of the US government relying on Musk's SpaceX for its security needs, given his demonstrated disregard for the public interest.
5. Preventing Musk's preferred presidential candidate from being elected: Reich urges Americans to ensure that Musk's preferred candidate for president is not elected.
6. Denying Musk a platform: Reich believes that media outlets and social media platforms should deny Musk a platform to spread misinformation and incite violence.
Reich's article has sparked debate and discussion, with some agreeing with his concerns and others dismissing them as unfounded attacks on a free speech advocate. However, Reich's call for action highlights the growing concerns about the power and influence of technology giants and the need for measures to ensure that they do not undermine public safety and interest.
