Today, Twitter agreed to Elon Musk’s offer to buy the company and take it private. Musk explained his rationale for the purchase in a statement, saying: “Free speech is the bedrock of a functioning democracy, and Twitter is the digital town square where matters vital to the future of humanity are debated.”

In response, Jon Schweppe, director of policy and government affairs for American Principles Project (APP), released the following statement:

“Free speech is under unprecedented assault in this country. We are in danger of losing the very freedoms that make America great, thanks to increasing censorship of the digital public square by a handful of left-wing oligarchs in Silicon Valley.

“That’s why today’s news is a big deal. Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter once again gives free speech a fighting chance online, and we are hopeful he will be able to deliver on his promise.

“However, free speech defenders should not become complacent as a result of this development. Big Tech still remains a potent threat that must be addressed legislatively. We encourage lawmakers to continue to work toward reforming Section 230 and antitrust law to rein in the immense and unaccountable power these platforms wield over our society.

“Elon Musk may have taken a step toward saving Western civilization and democracy, but he cannot do it alone.”

To schedule an engagement with American Principles Project, contact Paul Dupont at (o) 202-503-2010 or pdupont@americanprinciplesproject.org.