ADAPT Funded Investigator Dr. Eileen Culloty, Assistant Professor at DCU School of Computer Science and Deputy Director of the Institute of Future Media, Democracy, and Society, recently explored Elon Musk’s engagement with Ireland’s far-right in an article for the Journal. To date, Musk’s involvement with elements of Ireland’s far-right movement online has largely flown under the radar. The article references Musk’s interactions on social media with prominent figures within the movement and how he recently made headlines by pledging to financially support any legal challenges against Ireland’s proposed hate speech laws, which are opposed by the far-right and under consideration in the Oireachtas.
This engagement has encouraged segments of the far-right community in Ireland and has sparked concerns regarding the potential impact of Musk’s views on Irish political discourse. In the article, Dr. Culloty suggested that Musk’s perspective on free speech reflects a distinctly American viewpoint. She notes that Musk’s stance aligns with that of “free speech absolutists,” a category that includes individuals within the far-right in Ireland. According to Dr. Culloty, Musk’s actions echo a pattern seen among US tech companies, who often project American values as global norms.
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