Elon Musk, owner of the social media platform X, has recently drawn criticism for his extensive promotion of the film 'Citizen Vigilante'. The movie, from German filmmaker Uwe Boll, has been widely dismissed by critics and described as 'astonishingly bad' and 'morally bankrupt' by Variety. However, concerns extend beyond its cinematic quality, with many characterising it as ninety minutes of explicit far-right political propaganda.
The film's plot centres on Michal Sanders, a US landlord in Europe who embarks on a campaign of extra-judicial executions against migrants following a series of crimes. It controversially portrays brown-skinned migrant communities as inherently violent and predatory, while depicting vigilantism by white individuals as a righteous and heroic response. Dialogue within the film reportedly features strong anti-immigrant messaging, suggesting European civilisation is 'falling apart' due to an 'archaic value system' brought by migrants.
The narrative escalates to include Sanders murdering judges and police officers he deems 'collaborators', culminating in the cold-blooded execution of an entire Muslim migrant family. This act is justified within the film by an accusation of rape against the son, with the family allegedly covering for him. Germany's film ratings authority ultimately refused to classify the movie, effectively blocking its commercial release, citing concerns that it incited violence against migrants.
Despite this, Mr Musk shared the entire film for free on X, endorsing its message and retweeting multiple accounts that also promoted it. Notably, he retweeted the leader of Germany's far-right AfD party, who had also endorsed the film. Critics argue that Musk's actions, given his ownership of X and his significant influence over its rules and content amplification, represent a deliberate boost to dangerous anti-migrant narratives. His digital footprint, including retweeting content that describes vigilante murders as a 'moderate response', suggests a move away from his self-described 'centrist' position.
The amplification of such content on a global platform like X has significant implications, especially when narratives align with conspiracy theories such as the 'great replacement' theory, which has been linked to real-world acts of terrorism. The debate over content moderation and the responsibility of social media platforms in curbing the spread of potentially harmful ideologies continues to intensify, with Musk's actions reigniting concerns about the platform's direction under his ownership.