Elon Musk has been nominated for the 2024 Sakharov Prize. The award, which is granted annually by the European Parliament, honors individuals or entities that have made exceptional contributions to the defense of freedom of thought and human rights.
Musk was nominated for the award by the Patriots for Europe group. As per Fidesz MEP András László, Musk deserves to be considered for the 2024 Sakharov Prize for his work in defending free speech on social media platform X. László specifically mentioned X’s Community Notes feature, which he noted is a way forward for transparent measures for accurate information.
📢People want more freedom of speech, not less!
— András László MEP 🇭🇺 (@laszloan) September 19, 2024
The role of @X in defending freedom of speech is unique and it is what all social media platforms should be aiming for.
Yet, most choose censorship instead. Either willingly or due to government bullying.
Community notes on X… https://t.co/ZKCHw6tQ4E
“People want more freedom of speech, not less! The role of X in defending freedom of speech is unique and it is what all social media platforms should be aiming for. Community notes on X shows the way forward regarding transparent measures for accurate information. Elon Musk for Sakharov Prize!” László wrote in a post on X.
The Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought was initially established in 1988, as noted in a report from the Hungarian Conservative. The award was named after Soviet physicist, dissident, and political exile Andrei Sakharov. The list of the award’s recipients is notable, with the first-ever person to be awarded with the Sakharov Prize being Nelson Mandela.
📢 | The Patriots Group nominates Elon Musk (@elonmusk) for the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Speech. His commitment to free speech, transparency, and fighting against censorship aligns with the values of freedom and human rights. #SakharovPrize #FreedomOfSpeech pic.twitter.com/rkSczQ43TP
— Patriots for Europe (@PatriotsEP) September 19, 2024
The Sakharov Prize is awarded by the European Parliament, and it carries a 50,000 Euro endowment. It is expected to be presented during a formal plenary session in Strasbourg at the end of the year. The selection of the winner of the Sakharov Prize is made by the Conference of Presidents, which is composed of leaders of all political groups in the European Parliament.
Elon Musk took over Twitter in late 2022, and since then, he has enacted a number of changes to the social media platform designed to ensure that all users can freely express their thoughts. Musk seems to be meeting his end of the bargain so far, as evidenced by the large number of accounts and posts that freely and consistently slam Musk on X regarding his businesses, personality, appearance, wealth, and familiar relations, among others.
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