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The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
Business
Joan Donovan

From Trump to Kanye and Musk: why are the super-rich buying social media sites?

Donald Trump Elon Musk Twitter Inc. United States Facebook
Donald J Trump's Twitter account in front of An American flag.
Elon Musk said he would reverse Twitter’s ban on Donald J Trump. Photograph: Olivier Douliery/AFP/Getty Images

Ever wonder what the richest man in the world buys? Elon Musk, rated No 1 by Forbes on its 2022 list of billionaires, may soon own a social media network imbued with so much political capital it could fracture nations.

It’s the latest expression of an uncomfortable truth: tech CEOs have become the most crucial political gatekeepers in modern media history. Not by running for office – a cliche for today’s moneyed elite – but by using social media ownership as a proxy for political influence.

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