Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary on Wednesday called for governments to outlaw social media platform X, owned by Elon Musk, saying platform anonymity has enabled abuse and the generation of explicit altered images of women and children.
Addressing the media, O’Leary said anonymity on social media has turned platforms into a “cesspit,” enabling harassment, false claims, and offensive content without accountability.
He said recent controversies involving AI-generated nudity, including deepfake-style image manipulation on X and associated tools like Grok, underscore what he described as a failure of platform moderation.
O’Leary said people should be free to express themselves, “but you have to be responsible for what you say,” and argued that governments, particularly in Europe and the U.S., should legislate to remove anonymity online and make platforms liable for technologies that enable harmful content.
X And Anonymity In The Spotlight
O’Leary pointed to examples where anonymous users have threatened public figures and spread misinformation about safety issues.
He told the media that due to anonymity, individuals can make statements without consequence.
O’Leary said he sees no justification for anonymity in the U.S. or Europe, where freedom of speech is protected, and he called on lawmakers to require users to post under their real identities.
Controversy Around AI And Grok
The Grok controversy involves the AI chatbot generating non-consensual sexualized deepfakes, including images of real people in revealing clothing or poses.
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Despite global backlash, X implemented geoblocking in some jurisdictions to prevent such edits, but reports indicate the feature persists in others.
O’Leary said platforms that enable the production or circulation of nudified images of women or children should be outlawed, asserting that such content has “nothing to do with freedom of speech.”
Tensions With Musk
O'Leary's remarks come amid his ongoing public dispute with Musk.
The feud escalated last week after O'Leary rejected Musk's Starlink satellite internet for Ryanair flights, citing prohibitive costs and fuel drag.
Musk responded on X by calling O'Leary an "utter idiot" and suggesting he could buy the airline.
O'Leary hit back, labeling Musk's comments a "Twitter tantrum" and launching an "Idiot Sale" on flights, which he said boosted bookings by 2-3%
O’Leary further told the media that Musk would be welcome to invest in Ryanair, but EU ownership rules would prevent acquisition control.
O’Leary said Ryanair continues discussions with Starlink, Amazon, and Vodafone over onboard connectivity.
He said the airline’s reluctance to deploy satellite Wi-Fi is based on cost, aircraft downtime, and fuel efficiency, not concerns about the technology itself.
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