New Delhi, India

Former Twitter executive Bruce Daisley has called for "personal sanctions" and even an "arrest warrant" against Elon Musk if he is found to be inciting public disorder through his social media platform, X (formerly Twitter). 

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Musk's 'blurringly fast' actions

In an opinion piece in The Guardian, Daisley, the ex-Twitter vice-president for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, argues that tech billionaires like Musk should not be allowed to stir discord without facing personal consequences. 

He suggests that UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer should "beef up" online safety laws and reassess whether the media regulator Ofcom is equipped to handle "the blurringly fast actions of the likes of Musk".

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Daisley argues that the threat of personal sanctions would be more effective in curbing the behaviour of tech executives than corporate fines, potentially impacting their jet-setting lifestyles. 

"In my experience, that threat of personal sanction is much more effective on executives than the risk of corporate fines," he wrote.

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Daisley described Musk as behaving like a "teenager on the bus with no headphones, creating lots of noise" and suggests that an arrest warrant could serve as a strong deterrent.

"Were Musk to continue stirring up unrest, an arrest warrant for him might produce fireworks from his fingertips, but as an international jet-setter, it would have the effect of focussing his mind."

His comments come in the wake of violent unrest in the UK, stoked by fake social media claims about the identity of the attacker after a stabbing attack at a Taylor Swift themed dance class. 

Elon Musk's inflammatory posts

Musk has come under fire for inflammatory posts, including one in which he claimed that "civil war is inevitable" in the UK. This post was condemned by Justice Minister Heidi Alexander as "unacceptable." 

In another, Musk called Starmer "two-tier Keir" and a "hypocrite" over his approach to policing. He has also shared a false post suggesting that the UK PM was planning to set up "detainment camps" in the Falkland Islands. This post was later deleted.

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What solution is there?

Bruce Daisley calls for Starmer's government to legislate more robustly to control what is permissible on social media.

"Musk's actions should be a wake-up call for Starmer's government to quietly legislate to take back control of what we collectively agree is permissible on social media," he said.

"In the short term, Musk and fellow executives should be reminded of their criminal liability for their actions under existing laws. Britain’s Online Safety Act 2023 should be beefed up with immediate effect," adds Daisley.

He criticises the notion of "free speech" promoted by tech companies, arguing that it is driven more by financial considerations than by genuine principles.

(With inputs from agencies)