Reddit users boycott X-links after Elon Musk’s gesture at inaugural event

Many Reddit users are boycotting social media site X, formerly known as Twitter, after Elon Musk twice made a gesture during President Trump’s inaugural celebration that drew comparisons to the Nazi salute .

Mr Musk, the billionaire owner of the social media platform, was speaking at a celebratory rally on Monday after Mr Trump became the 47th president when he growled, placed his hand on his heart and raised his arm with the palm facing down. a greeting to the public.

Although Mr. Musk has played down the criticism, speculation about the meaning of the gesture has erupted online, notably on Reddit, where people gather in thousands of forums called subreddits to discuss niche interests, including passwords. -weather, sports, celebrity gossip and geopolitics.

On Tuesday, a proposal had emerged in dozens of Reddit groups covering a wide range of interests: many users wanted to ban links to X publications in order to boycott the platform and Mr. Musk.

A moderator of a subreddit dedicated to Formula 1 racing said he would ban X’s content “for a trial period.” Links from (Other forums focused on the venue had similar posts.) TwoXChromosomes, a space focused on women’s perspectives, said a bot would automatically remove X-links. That announcement garnered thousands of upvotes.

On Wednesday morning, organizers of large-audience groups focused on hometowns, sports teams, board games and the economy were discussing or exploring their members’ appetite for a possible boycott of X. Users who supported the one cited several reasons, the main one being pushing back on Mr. Musk after his appearance at the inauguration event. Others said they had been frustrated with Mr. Musk for some time because of his transformation from X and his views on politics and other topics.