Elon Musk streamed the full version of the film “Citizen Vigilante” on X this week, making the movie available to the platform's users [1].
The move has drawn criticism from observers who said Musk's promotion of the film is alarming given his control over a major global communication platform [5]. The movie, which stars Armie Hammer, is described as a dramatization of a xenophobic, anti-immigrant fantasy [5].
Musk made the film available for 48 hours [1]. The posting occurred approximately one week after the movie debuted in theaters and on streaming services [1]. Reports on the exact timing of the post vary, with some sources saying it occurred on Thursday and others saying Friday [1, 3].
“Citizen Vigilante” has faced significant regulatory hurdles, including being banned in Germany [1]. Despite the controversy, the film has gained commercial momentum. Quiver Distribution acquired worldwide rights to the movie, excluding four territories, following the boost provided by Musk [4].
Critics said that Musk appears obsessed with the film's themes [5]. The decision to host the banned content directly on X highlights the platform's shift in content moderation and the personal influence of its owner over what users can access globally.
“Musk made the film available for 48 hours”
This incident underscores the intersection of Musk's personal ideological interests and his operational control of X. By bypassing traditional distribution and hosting a film banned in certain jurisdictions, Musk is signaling a departure from conventional content moderation and copyright norms, potentially leveraging the platform to amplify fringe political narratives.
