Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has called on Elon Musk to "cool it" in the context of the heated discussion about foreign tech workers on his platform, sparking new controversies over free speech.
In a post on December 31 on X, Buterin emphasized that while he admires Musk's steadfastness in defending free speech, he also urged the Tesla CEO to "cool it" in the "tone of debate" and that Musk has been accused of banning X accounts with the "censorship hammer" of social media.
Buterin's tweet came in response to a profanity-laden post from Musk, who was defending the rights of immigrants to work at companies in the U.S. on H1B visas.
Source: Elon Musk
Musk has outraged conservative factions on X by supporting the hiring of foreign tech workers at top companies in the United States, with conservative voices arguing that hiring conditions in the U.S. are becoming less favorable for native citizens.
Some conservatives later accused Musk of censorship after his social media platform was accused of removing premium features from accounts that criticized his stance on H1B visas.
"It is easy to respect free speech when we agree with the words and hard when we think they are terrible," Buterin said, adding that:
"But the argument for respecting free speech nonetheless remains unchanged: the censorship hammer today is in the hands of one group, and tomorrow it will be in the hands of another."
He warned Musk to be more cautious with his tone and ensure that he uses his power on X for the benefit of humanity.
"The role of leadership in shaping tone is very important, and it can be used for great good or great harm," Buterin added.
"It is not a 'war-time regime' that will take humanity to Mars in one piece, but something brighter – and we should shift to that mode today."
Buterin emphasized that the "censorship hammer" — an unofficial term referring to an operator or administrator removing users for inappropriate behavior — is another example of an ineffective measure in controlling speech.
"Ultimately, public discourse will devolve into fragmentation, a monotone culture (where the winner will be the one with the biggest hammer, not the one with the best argument) or a continuous battle of all against all," Buterin said.
Source: Elon Musk
Musk recently changed his name on X to "Kekius Maximus" — a combination of various internet culture references, merging the popular meme Pepe and Maximus Decimus Meridius, the character played by Russell Crowe in the 2000 film Gladiator.
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