### Unveiling the Controversial Digital Footprints: Elon Musk's Deleted X Post Saga

In these digital times, when the social media ecology is in constant flux, when we’re still navigating the conventions of the TikTok and Byte eras, it provoked a firestorm when Elon Musk, the enigmatic founder of Tesla and SpaceX, posted to X (formerly Twitter) that ‘not a single assassination attempt has been made on Pres Biden or VP Harris’, and the post was subsequently deleted. This is yet another moment in a staged engagement between power, responsibility and publicity. We are following the news here, but also examining the subtext.

#### The Flashpoint: A Post Ephemeral Yet Enduring

Musk’s since-deleted X post, placed alongside a picture of a screenshot he took of someone saying that there have been no assassination attempts on the present administration, compared with a supposed attempt on the former president Donald Trump, spread like wildfire and immediately began to raise questions. Is it really appropriate for someone of Musk’s stature to use a platform like this to discuss something like assassination? And, given that he’s the CEO of SpaceX? Could there be a risk for his security?

#### The Swirl of Criticism and the Echoes of Concern

It was a line that, as the responses to the post suggest, were not taken lightly. X users, as well as others just reading about it, expressed their dismay and offended outrage: how does Musk, a man who is credibly accused of being a dangerously out-of-control scam artist and possessing a history of believing and/or spreading conspiracy theories, still have a security clearance? It should serve as a reminder of the tightrope that public figures walk, between our right to speak freely and the obligations we have as speakers.

#### Musk's Defense and Subsequent Retreat

Initially, Musk didn’t back down from the comment, insisting perhaps on a nuance lost in textual translation. As a white man who makes a fortune off fossil fuel cars, Musk’s scrutiny of one person’s speech acts as a litmus test for those who dislike him. I would argue that Musk’s own subsequent attempt to position himself as a protector of ‘free speech’ reveals a political agenda. It also underscores the difficulty of comedy and, more broadly, communication, in the digital realm where one person’s intent is often siloed from another person’s interpretation. Without the aural or emotional cues of voice and expression, controversy abounds.

#### The Aftermath: Lessons Learned and Unlearned

Though Musk deleted the post, his behaviour following its deletion – elevating voices that push conspiracy theories – adds layers of complexity to the question of his politics and his perceived duties as a public figure. The story illustrates the fine line between influence and responsibility, and highlights the consequences of unfettered speech in spaces unconstrained by social media.

#### The Influence of Musk's Digital Persona

Elon Musk’s digital avatar of innovation-driven entrepreneurship and technology-driven hope blurred into right-wing political gossiping and conspiracy theorism. In this, Musk is a quintessential case study of social media platforms that privilege certain creators (those with high visual appeal, media savvy and celebrity), who then wield unmatched influence in creating the collective image and intelligence of their followers on the platform. Some came to Musk’s Twitter for information about his business offerings or, perhaps, to watch an entrepreneur-turned-space-entrepreneur-turned-chief-energy-innovator-and-technology-disrupter inspire others.

#### Unpacking the Controversy: A Broader Perspective

Whether a dignitary or celeb has the right to post whatever they like on social media is at the root of this spat. Musk’s deleted tweet and subsequent actions raise many questions, not just about the parameters of free speech and what responsibilities come with it, but also about darker corners of influence-wielding without accountability. Musk’s latest spat is yet another episode in the kaleidoscope of his public life – his flashes of genius, flights of invention and sometimes vicious clashes.

### Understanding OPEN: A Glimpse Beyond the Controversy

In the context of this essay, however, ‘open’ can also mean not only Musk’s openness as in ‘I ain’t sayin’ nothin’’, his willingness to ‘go to the embargo and air it out’ in the parlance of the earned-media set, but also the openness of the platform that is social media, allowing voices up and down the continuum, on any given subject, to take on one another in the world of ideas. This episode illuminates the power and peril of openness, when boundaries are constantly being tested and redrawn. It’s a lesson in what it might mean to continue to be open – in our work, in our communities, in the world – in the best and most inclusive sense of that term.

Seen through the lens of Musk’s now-removed Tweet, the discussion surrounding openness, responsibility and the reverberations of powerful voices on digital platforms is crafted in new ways. As we continue on, the lessons learnt and unlearned in this episode will carve the contours of digital communication and public interaction in the tempest of social media.