V named X as amplifying hate speech, igniting community shock.
Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin recently made rare public criticisms of Musk, directly pointing out that the community platform X is gradually deviating from its original intention of 'free speech' and is instead becoming a tool for amplifying collaborative hate. He stated in a post that over the past few days he has seen a large number of emotional attacks against Europe, even from accounts he originally thought were 'interesting and mature,' and the content has become nearly out of control.
Image source: X/@VitalikButerin Vitalik Buterin mentioned that he has seen a large number of emotional attacks against Europe over the past few days, even from accounts he originally thought were 'interesting and mature,' and the content has become nearly out of control.
Vitalik believes that these statements are not normal policy or cultural discussions, but rather a series of collaborative actions to 'delegitimize the entire region.' He pointed out that many comments use apocalyptic metaphors like 'Rome being sacked by barbarians,' creating social panic, which is completely inconsistent with his personal experience of living in Europe for several months each year over the past decade.
He stressed that this is not just criticism of the EU, but many posts explicitly name cities like London, indicating that the attack is aimed at all of Europe.
Criticism upgrade: Free speech platforms should not become a 'hate death star.'
Vitalik's wording this time is stronger than in the past, directly naming Musk. He warns that if X positions itself as a symbol of global free speech on one hand, while allowing or amplifying collective hate mobilization on the other, it may ultimately harm free speech itself.
'Elon, I hope you can seriously consider that when you build X into a global totem of free speech, but then let it turn into a collaborative hate death star, it is a harm to the value of free speech,' Vitalik wrote in the post.
Image source: X/@VitalikButerin Vitalik Buterin directly names Musk.
He is concerned that the unchecked spread of rhetoric may trigger a greater social backlash, and even lead to a significant headwind against the values of freedom and openness in the coming years, 'I am really very worried.'
These remarks highlight a long-standing debate within the Web3 community: whether 'unlimited speech' can truly lead to genuine openness, or whether it will cause harm due to its amplification.
Musk emphasized platform freedom, clearly diverging from V's philosophy.
Compared to Vitalik's warning, Musk has continued to portray X in recent months as 'the safest and freest global public square.' He has repeatedly compared the end-to-end encrypted information of X with Bitcoin's P2P structure in public interviews, emphasizing anti-censorship and no central control, believing that minimizing platform intervention is true freedom.
This assertion has supporters among certain groups in the crypto community, but it has also raised concerns among other developers and civic communities. They believe that when a platform is of significant scale, unfettered freedom could equate to handing amplifiers to the most radical and emotionally manipulative groups.
Under Vitalik's post, some X users questioned whether he intends to support a censorship system, showing that discussions about platform responsibility and the boundaries of speech have become highly divided within the community.
Image source: X/@MicahZoltu Internet users question whether Vitalik intends to support a censorship system.
Where is X headed? The debate over freedom, platform responsibility, and internet governance is reignited.
Vitalik's rare public outburst this time not only represents the concerns of the Ethereum founder regarding the community environment but also reflects a deeper struggle over values in the crypto world.
One side advocates for 'maximum freedom, minimal intervention,' believing that the platform does not need to act as a gatekeeper;
The other side argues that when a platform has the power to guide global public opinion, it must assume a minimum level of governance responsibility to avoid being used as a tool for hate mobilization.
As elections, international conflicts, and cultural fronts continue to heat up online, X's positioning will become a core issue in the next wave of technology governance and free speech. Vitalik's voice also symbolizes that the Web3 community is beginning to reassess the true meaning of 'freedom' and 'responsibility' in the decentralized era.
'V publicly criticizes Musk: The X platform will turn into a hate collaboration platform, deviating from the mission of free speech!' This article was first published in 'Crypto City.'
