Elon Musk, the outspoken CEO of X (formerly Twitter), has launched a scathing attack on Instagram, accusing the platform of failing to address serious issues related to child exploitation and data privacy.
In a series of posts on X, Musk directly targeted Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta Platforms Inc. (the parent company of Instagram), accusing him of prioritizing censorship over protecting users. He claimed Zuckerberg had caved to pressure from governments and was providing them with backdoor access to user data.
Musk’s comments were sparked by a post from Naomi Seibt, and followed the recent arrest of Telegram founder Pavel Durov in France. Durov faces multiple charges related to his platform and could be sentenced to up to 20 years in prison. Musk used this as an example, writing on X, “It’s 2030 in Europe and you’re being executed for liking a meme.”
Musk’s criticism highlights the growing concerns surrounding data privacy and child safety on social media platforms. Instagram has faced scrutiny over its handling of these issues in the past, and Musk’s public accusations put further pressure on the company to address them.
Musk’s comments come amid a heated rivalry between him and Zuckerberg. The two tech titans are engaged in a battle for dominance in the social media landscape, with Musk’s X emerging as a potential rival to Instagram and Facebook. This latest public feud underscores the increasing importance of these issues and the challenges facing tech giants in balancing free speech, user safety, and government oversight.
