With an unexpected and controversial move, Elon Musk, CEO of the X social media platform (ex Twitter), announced that the famous actor Robert De Niro was definitively banned from the platform. Musk mentioned De Niro’s “presence Woke” as the main reason for the decision, triggering a heated online debate.

The decision was made public in a post by Musk himself, in which he said: “In X, we are promoting open discussions, not spaces for unilateral and politically understood narratives. The persistent rhetoric of Robert De Niro contradicts this mission. There is no room for his presence Woke on this platform”.

De Niro, known for his frank political opinions and frequent criticisms of conservative figures, expressed himself openly against Musk’s management style and his positions on freedom of speech. In the last year, De Niro’s posts on X have included harsh criticisms of Musk’s policies, accusing him of promoting disinformation and promoting divisive ideologies.

Musk’s position, however, was to position X as a bulwark of freedom of speech, often allowing controversial characters to share their opinions. However, his decision to ban de Niro has raised doubts about the consistency of this principle. Critics claim that the ban highlights a double standard in Musk’s policies, while supporters believe that it was necessary to preserve the integrity of the platform.

The ban has divided public opinion. Musk’s supporters applauded the move, claiming that it was a necessary step to stem the influence of Hollywood’s “Woke” on the social debate. A trend hashtag emerged, #goodbyedeniro, with users who celebrated Musk’s decision to firmly oppose what they describe as “elitist arrogance”.

On the other hand, De Niro fans and supporters of freedom of speech have condemned the action as censorship. Prominent characters of Hollywood and politics have lined up in support of the actor, with some who asked for the boycott of X.

Several actors and directors intervened in defense of De Niro. In a joint declaration, they underlined the importance that platforms such as X offer space for different points of view, even if they question the most common narratives. “This action creates a dangerous precedent,” said actor Mark Ruffalo. “If a platform claims to support freedom of speech, he cannot arbitrarily silence the voices with which he does not agree.”

The accident rekindled the debates on the role of social media platforms in the regulation of content and in the management of public figures. For Musk, he raises further questions about his leadership style and on his vision of X as an open dialogue space.

It remains to be seen if this move will attract or reject users. While some consider Musk’s decision a gesture of brave leadership, others see it as a flooding turning towards authoritarian control of the debate on the platform.

As for De Niro, the actor has not yet made public statements about his ban. However, the people close to him suggest that he could exploit this episode to amplify his criticisms of Musk’s policies in other public forums.

This controversy underlines the complex challenges to balance the freedom of speech with the moderation of content in the era of social media, and places Musk’s X at the center of Ancora