1
00:00:01,920 --> 00:00:05,320
Hey everybody, welcome back to 
the Elon Musk Podcast. 

2
00:00:05,360 --> 00:00:08,640
This is a show where we discuss 
the critical Crossroads, the 

3
00:00:08,640 --> 00:00:13,520
Shape, SpaceX, Tesla, X, The 
Boring Company, and Neuralink. 

4
00:00:13,880 --> 00:00:17,880
I'm your host, Will Walden. 
Today's episode is about X, 

5
00:00:17,880 --> 00:00:20,840
formerly known as Twitter and 
Hidalgo. 

6
00:00:20,840 --> 00:00:24,280
The mayor of Paris has announced
her decision to leave the social

7
00:00:24,280 --> 00:00:28,120
media platform formerly known as
Twitter, now owned by Elon Musk.

8
00:00:28,480 --> 00:00:30,880
She criticized the platform for 
becoming a hub for 

9
00:00:30,880 --> 00:00:34,440
disinformation, hatred and 
undermining democratic 

10
00:00:34,440 --> 00:00:37,000
processes. 
Hidalgo cited the platform's 

11
00:00:37,000 --> 00:00:40,520
deviation from its original 
purpose and the negative impact 

12
00:00:40,520 --> 00:00:42,880
on political and social 
discourse. 

13
00:00:43,280 --> 00:00:46,720
This move comes amidst A broader
exodus from the platform by 

14
00:00:46,720 --> 00:00:49,880
media companies and advertisers 
following Musk controversial 

15
00:00:49,880 --> 00:00:52,200
statements and policies as of 
late. 

16
00:00:53,000 --> 00:00:55,720
In a move signaling growing 
discontent with the social media

17
00:00:55,720 --> 00:00:58,880
environment and Hidalgo, the 
mayor of Paris and a significant

18
00:00:58,880 --> 00:01:01,840
political figure, has eclared 
her intention to leave the 

19
00:01:01,840 --> 00:01:04,879
social media platform. 
Her departure comes amid 

20
00:01:04,879 --> 00:01:07,920
increasing concerns over the 
platform's role in spreading 

21
00:01:07,920 --> 00:01:11,520
disinformation and hatred, a 
development she blames on its 

22
00:01:11,520 --> 00:01:14,760
current owner, Elon Musk. 
Now Mayor. 

23
00:01:14,760 --> 00:01:17,800
Hidalgo's decision follows a 
period marked by political 

24
00:01:17,800 --> 00:01:22,000
challenges and public scrutiny. 
She's been under fire for her 

25
00:01:22,000 --> 00:01:25,720
trip to the French South Pacific
territories, an issue that has 

26
00:01:25,720 --> 00:01:28,640
become entangled with her city's
preparations for the upcoming 

27
00:01:28,640 --> 00:01:32,240
2024 Summer Olympics. 
Her criticism of the platform, 

28
00:01:32,240 --> 00:01:35,120
however, extends beyond personal
grievances. 

29
00:01:35,320 --> 00:01:38,360
She's expressed alarm over the 
nature of discourse on the 

30
00:01:38,360 --> 00:01:42,280
platform, which she believes has
significantly deteriorated since

31
00:01:42,280 --> 00:01:45,000
Musk took control in October of 
2022. 

32
00:01:45,640 --> 00:01:48,200
It All Goes critique centers 
around the platform's 

33
00:01:48,200 --> 00:01:52,520
transformation into a space 
hostile to democratic values and

34
00:01:52,520 --> 00:01:55,240
constructive debate. 
She accuses the platform of 

35
00:01:55,240 --> 00:01:58,280
being overrun with anonymous 
accounts and troll farms, 

36
00:01:58,560 --> 00:02:03,040
elements she believes are anti 
ethical to healthy democratic 

37
00:02:03,040 --> 00:02:05,600
discourse. 
And her departure is not an 

38
00:02:05,600 --> 00:02:08,639
impulsive reaction to recent 
criticism she faced, but a 

39
00:02:08,639 --> 00:02:11,800
decision that has been 
considered over a great amount 

40
00:02:11,800 --> 00:02:13,800
of time. 
The Mayor's announcement 

41
00:02:13,800 --> 00:02:16,960
reflects a broader trend of 
disillusionment with a platform 

42
00:02:16,960 --> 00:02:20,320
under Musk's leadership. 
Under statement, Hidalgo notes 

43
00:02:20,320 --> 00:02:23,640
this shift in the platform's 
ethos, moving from a space 

44
00:02:23,640 --> 00:02:27,200
fostering information exchange 
and healthy debate to 1 where 

45
00:02:27,200 --> 00:02:31,040
algorithms amplify attacks on 
those engaging in peaceful 

46
00:02:31,040 --> 00:02:35,000
political discussions. 
She points to a troubling report

47
00:02:35,000 --> 00:02:37,920
that ranked France as the 
leading European country for 

48
00:02:37,920 --> 00:02:41,120
postings of violent and illegal 
content on the platform. 

49
00:02:41,600 --> 00:02:44,760
And this is and this 
disenchantment with the platform

50
00:02:44,920 --> 00:02:46,880
is not limited to political 
figures. 

51
00:02:47,080 --> 00:02:50,880
Recently, a slew of major media 
brands and advertisers have 

52
00:02:50,880 --> 00:02:53,440
paused or ceased their 
activities on the platform. 

53
00:02:53,760 --> 00:02:57,720
This reaction comes in the wake 
of Musk's endorsement of an 

54
00:02:57,720 --> 00:03:01,600
anti-Semitic conspiracy theory 
on the platform, which has led 

55
00:03:01,600 --> 00:03:05,000
to significant reputational 
damage for Twitter or X 

56
00:03:05,320 --> 00:03:07,960
companies like Disney, Paramount
and Warner Brothers. 

57
00:03:07,960 --> 00:03:11,480
Discovery had halted their posts
on the platform, shifting their 

58
00:03:11,480 --> 00:03:13,800
focus to other social media 
networks. 

59
00:03:14,280 --> 00:03:17,640
Now the situation is exacerbated
by Musk's personal contributions

60
00:03:17,640 --> 00:03:20,720
to the problematic content on 
the platform, including his 

61
00:03:20,720 --> 00:03:23,160
controversial statements. 
And these actions have 

62
00:03:23,160 --> 00:03:26,240
contributed to a perception that
the platform is increasingly 

63
00:03:26,240 --> 00:03:30,160
becoming a conduit for hate 
speech and misinformation. 

64
00:03:30,600 --> 00:03:33,280
And the exodus of major 
companies and the possible long 

65
00:03:33,280 --> 00:03:37,200
term withdrawal of advertisers 
poses a significant challenge to

66
00:03:37,320 --> 00:03:40,600
X's financial stability and the 
public perception of the 

67
00:03:40,600 --> 00:03:43,480
platform. 
Now, Mayor Hidalgo's departure 

68
00:03:43,880 --> 00:03:46,800
and her call for more respectful
and constructive social media 

69
00:03:46,800 --> 00:03:50,080
environments underscores the 
growing concern over the state 

70
00:03:50,080 --> 00:03:52,960
of online discourse. 
Her move to other platforms like

71
00:03:52,960 --> 00:03:56,960
Facebook, Instagram and also 
Blue Sky reflects a search for 

72
00:03:56,960 --> 00:04:00,880
spaces where democratic values 
and constructive dialogue or 

73
00:04:00,880 --> 00:04:04,040
more readily fostered. 
This shift points to a potential

74
00:04:04,040 --> 00:04:07,120
realignment in the social media 
landscape, as users and 

75
00:04:07,120 --> 00:04:09,840
organizations seek platforms to 
better align with their values 

76
00:04:09,840 --> 00:04:12,320
and the needs of a healthy, 
democratic society. 

77
00:04:12,840 --> 00:04:15,600
And as the social media 
landscape continues to evolve, 

78
00:04:15,920 --> 00:04:19,440
the discussions of public 
figures like Mayor Hidalgo and 

79
00:04:19,440 --> 00:04:22,400
major corporations will likely 
play a significant role in the 

80
00:04:22,400 --> 00:04:25,120
shaping of the future of online 
discourse. 

81
00:04:25,120 --> 00:04:29,800
In the role of social media in 
public life now, Elon Musk's 

82
00:04:29,800 --> 00:04:32,840
personal contributions to the 
platform have further fueled the

83
00:04:32,840 --> 00:04:35,240
backlash. 
His statements and policies have

84
00:04:35,240 --> 00:04:37,920
been linked to an increase in 
hate speech and misinformation, 

85
00:04:38,240 --> 00:04:41,640
raising serious concerns about 
the platform's direction in its 

86
00:04:41,640 --> 00:04:44,920
role in the public discourse And
now the withdrawal of 

87
00:04:44,920 --> 00:04:48,080
advertisers and content 
providers poses a significant 

88
00:04:48,080 --> 00:04:50,800
threat to the financial 
stability of the platform. 

89
00:04:51,240 --> 00:04:55,200
This situation is exacerbated by
the loss of confidence amongst 

90
00:04:55,200 --> 00:04:58,880
users and also corporate 
partners and advertisers, which 

91
00:04:58,880 --> 00:05:01,960
could lead to long term 
financial and reputational 

92
00:05:01,960 --> 00:05:04,200
damage. 
Now, in her announcement, Mayor 

93
00:05:04,200 --> 00:05:07,320
Hidalgo expressed her intention 
to join other social media 

94
00:05:07,320 --> 00:05:09,400
networks that she believes are 
more conducive. 

95
00:05:09,760 --> 00:05:13,040
The respectful exchanges and 
constructive dialogue in this 

96
00:05:13,040 --> 00:05:16,480
move aligns with her commitment 
to preserving democratic values 

97
00:05:16,840 --> 00:05:20,360
and meaningful communication. 
You know the Mere's decision to 

98
00:05:20,360 --> 00:05:24,240
explore platforms like Facebook,
Blue Sky, and Instagram is 

99
00:05:24,240 --> 00:05:26,800
indicative of a potential shift 
going on. 

100
00:05:27,120 --> 00:05:29,880
And her departure raises 
important questions about the 

101
00:05:29,880 --> 00:05:32,720
role of social media going 
forward in the support of 

102
00:05:32,720 --> 00:05:35,520
undermining democratic 
processes, to be exact. 

103
00:05:35,880 --> 00:05:39,360
And the need for platforms that 
foster constructive debate and 

104
00:05:39,360 --> 00:05:42,560
truth seeking is becoming 
increasingly apparent. 

105
00:05:42,560 --> 00:05:46,000
Of the exodus of public figures 
and major companies from the 

106
00:05:46,000 --> 00:05:48,840
platform could signal a 
realignment. 

107
00:05:50,040 --> 00:05:52,560
Platforms that prioritize 
democratic values in 

108
00:05:52,560 --> 00:05:56,000
constructive dialogue may gain 
prominence, reflecting a change 

109
00:05:56,000 --> 00:05:59,440
in user preferences and societal
needs going forward. 

110
00:06:00,000 --> 00:06:02,800
And the decisions of individuals
like Mayor Hidalgo and large 

111
00:06:02,800 --> 00:06:05,480
corporations will likely 
influence the evolution of 

112
00:06:05,520 --> 00:06:08,280
online discourse. 
Their choices under score the 

113
00:06:08,280 --> 00:06:11,400
importance of social media 
platforms reassessing their 

114
00:06:11,400 --> 00:06:14,200
policies and impact on public 
life. 

115
00:06:14,840 --> 00:06:18,360
Now, Anne Hidalgo's departure 
from social media Platform X is 

116
00:06:18,360 --> 00:06:20,760
more than personal, though. 
It's a statement about the 

117
00:06:20,760 --> 00:06:23,920
current state of online 
discourse and the need for 

118
00:06:23,920 --> 00:06:27,640
platforms to support democratic 
values. 

119
00:06:27,640 --> 00:06:30,960
For her, her move, along with 
withdrawal of the major brands, 

120
00:06:31,160 --> 00:06:34,560
signals a potential turning 
point in social media in the 

121
00:06:34,560 --> 00:06:39,320
role that these platforms play 
in shaping public and political 

122
00:06:39,320 --> 00:06:41,600
discourse. 
Thank you so much for listening 

123
00:06:41,600 --> 00:06:44,840
to the show today, and remember 
to hit the subscribe or the 

124
00:06:44,840 --> 00:06:47,240
follow button on whatever 
podcast platform you're 

125
00:06:47,240 --> 00:06:50,680
listening on right now. 
It's free, only takes a second, 

126
00:06:51,040 --> 00:06:54,560
and every episode is about 10 
minutes or under to help you 

127
00:06:54,560 --> 00:06:57,240
catch up quickly with all the 
latest news. 

128
00:06:57,920 --> 00:07:02,440
Also, if you want to help us 
out, go to patreon.com/stagezero

129
00:07:02,800 --> 00:07:06,880
O We can continue to make new 
eisodes every single day. 

130
00:07:07,720 --> 00:07:10,560
Take care of yourselves and each
other and I'll see you tomorrow.

