‘Pravda’: Elon Musk strikes out at ABC after Joe Rogan comments

Tech baron Elon Musk has likened the ABC to Russian state media after the national broadcaster’s head said the likes of podcaster Joe Rogan “prey on people’s vulnerabilities” and “contribute to uncertainty in society”.

Mr Musk, like Mr Rogan, has positioned himself as a free speech absolutist and mustered enormous global support for promoting unfettered debate.

Taking to his social media platform X, Mr Musk reposted Mr Rogan’s reaction to ABC chair Kim Williams’ remarks overnight, writing: “From the head of Australian government-funded media, their Pravda.”

Pravda is a state-owned Russian newspaper that has served as a major mouthpiece for the Kremlin for more than 100 years.

Mr Rogan himself reposted a clip of Mr Williams’ comments along with a two-word reaction: “LOL WUT.”

While many view both Mr Rogan’s podcast and Mr Musk’s X as allowing ideas to flow freely, they have also been accused of fuelling falsehoods and promoting harmful narratives.

Mr Williams made the remarks when asked about the enormous influence of podcasters during a National Press Club appearance on Wednesday.

“I think people like Mr Rogan prey on people’s vulnerabilities,” he said.

“They prey on fear. They prey on anxiety. They prey on all of the elements that contribute to uncertainty in society.

“And they entrepreneur fantasy outcomes and conspiracy outcomes as being a normal part of social narrative.”

He said he found it “deeply repulsive” and that “to think that someone has such remarkable power in the United States is something that I look at in disbelief.”

“I’m also absolutely in dismay that this can be a source of public entertainment when it’s really treating the public as plunder for purposes that are really quite malevolent,” he said.

Mr Musk, the world’s richest person, has had a number of fiery encounters with the Albanese government over free speech.

He will head Donald Trump’s new Department of Government Efficiency in the US president-elect’s incoming administration.