ALBAWABA – Elon Musk lifted the ban on political ads on X, formerly Twitter, one week after former United States (US) president Donald Trump posted on the platform for the first time since January 2021, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported Wednesday.
Notably, the ban on political ads was placed on Twitter to thwart disinformation before the billionaire bought the platform.
Trump posted his police mugshot on X after his arrest in Georgia, signaling his return to a platform, which was his favorite bullhorn during his years in the White House.
Musk, who bought the platform last year, reinstated the former president in November 2022, but Trump stayed away. Instead, he chose to reach his followers on his own platform, Truth Social, albeit with a much smaller audience.
X said in a blog post that allowing political ads, starting in the United States, was "building on our commitment to free expression."
X policies prohibit promotion of false or misleading information, including bogus claims intended to undermine confidence in an election, the blog contended.
"X shouldn't determine the truthfulness of disputed information," the platform said in the blog post.
"Rather, we should empower our users to express their opinions and openly debate during elections, in line with our commitment to protecting freedom of expression."
