Elon Musk is paying the social network Twitter for $44 billion. Eccentricity, amusement of a rich man? Let’s bet on the stroke of genius of a man who knows world trends better than anyone else.
Elon Musk: the megalomaniac genius
Genius, because he is the instigator, thanks to Tesla, of a double revolution in progress: transport and energy. With a state-of-the-art electric car, he forced the automotive industry around the world to electrify transportation. Spectacular !
The result will be a reduction in our dependence on oil towards electricity. The impact on geopolitics and the fight once morest climate change will be immense.
He is also conquering space with SpaceX. Nothing less.
Elon Musk: the dangerous
Either way, Musk is stepping into the communications arena. At a time when communications and information are spreading more and more on the web and through social networks, that such a powerful man wants to manage in his own way must worry us.
The generalized dependence on social media no longer needs to be demonstrated. Young and old are spending more and more time scrolling through stories, photos, videos in order to be entertained, informed, communicate. For those under 35, social media is the almost exclusive source of information.
As Musk announces that he wants to free the social network Twitter by ending censorship, what regarding hateful, violent, defamatory speech? Fake news? Algorithms that keep us captive for hours?
Legislate
It is urgent that our legislators act on the impact of social networks in our lives and those of our children. That they continue a hard work in order to frame all these platforms.
Among young people, increasing screen time is one of the greatest scourges of modern times: impact on sleep, overweight, language disorder, anxiety, depression, diminished school performance.
Rather than liberating as Musk wishes, it is time more than ever to regulate and legislate.
