Elon Reeve Musk is a renowned South African-born American entrepreneur, investor, engineer and inventor. He is the founder, CEO and lead designer of SpaceX; co-founder, CEO and product architect of Tesla, Inc.; and founder of The Boring Company. In addition, Musk is the co-founder and former chairman of SolarCity, co-founder of Zip2, and founder of X.com, which merged with Confinity and eventually became PayPal. Musk has repeatedly come under fire for various controversies, including calling a prominent British diver a “pedo guy” on Twitter in 2018.
The controversy began after a series of Tweets from Musk on June 28, 2018, in which he called Vern Unsworth, a British diver and expert cave explorer, a “pedo guy”. Unsworth had recently been instrumental in rescuing 12 Thai boys and their coach from a cave in Thailand , and had criticized Musk’s suggestion that a submarine be used to aid in the rescue, saying it had “no chance of working.” Musk responded to the criticism with a tweet calling Unsworth a “pedo guy”.
His comments sparked widespread criticism, with many calling the slur slanderous and ethically wrong. Musk responded to the criticism by deleting the Tweet and apologizing, saying he had been “angry” and “hasty.” He also said he “spoke [his] mind without thinking about the poison that might be spread.” While Musk has since apologized repeatedly and taken full responsibility for his actions, his transgression still drew scrutiny from many quarters.
The controversy has raised questions about the way personal and corporate brands use social media to influence public opinion, and the ethical implications of these activities. Susan Hansen, a professor of communications at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, says “brands need to deploy their social media strategies with a heightened sense of responsibility and self-editing.” She adds that “companies need to be aware that the power of the internet is immense and a single tweet can spread an incredible amount of negative sentiment.”
Gary Hughes, an ethics and media expert at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, points out that Musk’s transgression was “clearly unethical” and “could have consequences that extend far beyond the social media platform on which it was made”. He says companies should “exercise caution in how they use social media and think about the potential repercussions of their words.”
Musk’s tweet was a clear violation of Twitter’s rules, which prohibit “behavior that harasses, intimidates, or uses fear to silence another user’s voice.” Twitter suspended Musk’s account, but later reinstated it after he apologized and deleted the tweets. A Twitter spokesperson said they took into account that “Mr. Musk had apologized and his account had received a warning.”
Psychology Behind The Incident
Experts attribute the incident in part to what they call the “online disinhibition effect”, which is the tendency of people to let their inhibitions slip when interacting in anonymous and semi-anonymous online environments such as Twitter. Research has shown that this phenomenon is particularly pronounced among users of online social media platforms, as they often don’t feel responsible for their actions and don’t consider the consequences of their behavior.}
Chris Soto-Thimgan, an assistant professor at California State University and an expert on communication and society, says “online disinhibition can lead to a complete let down of the filters that people usually have and lead them to behave in ways that would be inappropriate in any other context.” He adds that social media users should be aware of the online disinhibition effect and “try their best to remain aware of their words and not overstep the boundaries of what is socially acceptable.”
Experts suggest that Musk’s transgression was likely also due to a lack of understanding of the effects of his words. He has since apologized and taken responsibility, which suggests that he is aware of the implications of his words.
Impact Of The Incident
The incident had some measurable impacts on Musk and his companies. Several investors filed a lawsuit against Tesla and Musk, alleging that they had violated federal law by making misleading statements about Tesla’s financial stability and prospects.
Musk’s inappropriate tweet also resulted in Tesla’s stock price dropping by almost 7%. His apology did little to assuage investor worry, as it only resulted in a slight stock rebound. The incident has also led to some second-guessing of Tesla’s current leadership, with some questioning whether or not Musk is the best leader for the company.
The incident also caused damage to Musk’s personal brand. His reputation for being brash and outspoken is now being questioned, and many have called for him to take a step back from social media and refocus his energy on running his companies.
Reaction From Supporters
Despite the controversy, Musk still has a strong base of supporters. Many people have come out in his defense and argued that his comments were taken out of context, and that the errant tweet was a minor mistake made in the heat of the moment.
Musk has generally received the support of shareholders and investors, who have expressed confidence that Musk is the right man to lead the company. They point to his track record of success with Tesla and SpaceX, which have defied the odds and achieved success in new and unprecedented ways.
His fans have also argued that Musk’s embarrassing moment should not be used to define him as a person, as his innovation and achievements have earned him a place in history. They say that, in spite of his mistake, Musk should be respected and admired for his numerous accomplishments.
Legal Implications
The incident has also stirred questions about the legal implications of slanderous attacks on social media. Legal experts say that, due to the sheer size of social media platforms and the viral nature of their content, such comments may carry serious legal consequences.
In the US, defamation typically requires proof that someone made a false statement to a third party, and that the statement caused harm or damages to the subject of the statement. The impact of such statements can vary from person to person, but in cases involving public figures like Musk, the effects can be far-reaching.
Legal experts point out that people should be mindful of their words and interactions on social media, as their actions could have long-term consequences even if they are seemingly inconsequential in the moment.
Conclusion
Elon Musk’s comments caused widespread shock and criticism, and highlighted the potential pitfalls of using social media platforms to influence public opinion. Musk ultimately had to apologize and take responsibility for his words, and the incident resulted in a drop in Tesla’s stock price and raised questions about his suitability as a leader. Legal experts say that people should be mindful of their words and interactions on social media, as their actions could have long-term consequences even if they are seemingly inconsequential in the moment.
