MARCH 27, 2025
Elon Musk. – Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
Billionaire Tesla CEO and Trump ally Elon Musk allegedly pressured the CEO of social media platform Reddit to stifle users criticizing him or President Donald Trump, leaving platform moderators furious.
In over 100 Reddit communities, moderators began banning links to social media platform X after Elon Musk appeared to perform a Sieg Heil at an inauguration rally for the 47th President. Musk responded by complaining about this response publicly on social media.
However, the billionaire had had a private reaction to the fiasco as well, messaging Reddit CEO Steve Huffman about his online critics and encouraging Huffman to silence them, reported The Verge.
They exchanged messages just before the subreddit r/WhitePeopleofTwitter was given a temporary ban for 72 hours, seemingly because its content included violent threats levied against members of the Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency. The exact messages exchanged by Musk and Huffman have not been revealed.
“I don’t have any problem with removing rule-breaking content (and taking the respective admin action on said accounts), but I find it a bit problematic that he’s able to exert influence on both public and private institutions,” said one Reddit moderator about the conversation between the two CEOs.
Subreddits banning X links included r/Nintendo and r/NFL and even r/Military, the moderators of which said “F— that guy,” about Musk in a statement.
A spokesperson for Reddit clarified that users were implementing these bans themselves, and that they had nothing to do with the company itself.
“We take any report of Reddit policy violations seriously, whether on Reddit directly or through other public or private means,” the statement reads. “We will evaluate content reported to us and action if violating.”
Musk did not immediately deny allegations that he performed a Nazi salute, instead taking to social media to poke fun at those accusing him.
“Don’t say Hess to Nazi accusations! Some people will Goebbels anything down!” Musk posted to X in January. “Stop Gőring your enemies! His pronouns would’ve been He/Himmler! Bet you did nazi that coming.”
Courtesy/Source: Latin Times
