Elon Musk, the billionaire owner of Twitter, announced that an amnesty is possible for accounts suspended next week unless they violate the law or engage in severe spamming.
His decision followed a poll he posted on his own account that drew almost 3 million responses and showed a strong majority in favor of pardoning previously suspended users. Musk declared that the will of the people would guide the next steps, signaling that pardons would begin in the coming week.
In recent days, Musk has also pursued another online referendum. The vote reached a far larger turnout, and the result favored reinstating a former president who previously faced an indefinite suspension for linking remarks to the January 6 attack on the Capitol. The outcome reopened a debate about how quickly and widely suspensions should be reversed.
The high-profile entrepreneur has expressed skepticism toward permanent bans. He has restored accounts associated with other controversial figures, including lawmakers who faced suspensions over posts that were deemed misinformation about health matters.
Earlier this month, Musk indicated that Twitter would not allow reinstatement of users removed for rule violations until a clear process is in place. He has reiterated that the platform will operate with a structured review mechanism before any reinstatements occur.
The founder, who acquired Twitter for about 44 billion dollars, also said that the platform will form a content moderation council. This council will bring together voices from across the political spectrum, civil rights groups, and organizations that work to combat hate-based violence, aiming to balance free expression with accountability.