What’s X?

Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 19: “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.”

Source: Quoted by Adam Curry on “No Agenda” Show [Episode 1601, 32:20 https://www.noagendashow.net/listen/1601/shownotes ]

These days, everyone seems to have their knickers in a knot about twitter, what was twitter, what is X, what is allowed, what’s unlawful, what’s just plain awful, or awesome, or awe-inspiring, or whatever.

Well, well, well — oh, well.

Perhaps one of the main sources of confusion is the way the media banter bandies about domain names. These mainstream influencers are all too willing to mention someone who might be willing to pay money as a sign of appreciation. They will place brands high upon a pedestal at center stage, shining in the limelight, all the while acting as if “twitter” obviously means twitter.com or likewise pretending that anyone who might have missed the memo that “X” obviously means X.com must be lost in cyberspace.

No. These inebriated dimwits simply cannot wrap their minds around how information is organized on the Internet. There is (first and foremost) one very simple principle: the top-level domain. Any institution or individual managing a top-level domain also manages all subdomains of that top-level domain — period. Any laws, rules, regulations, etc. which apply to the top-level domain’s managing institution or individual also apply to all subdomains of that top-level domain.

“X” means nothing. In mathematical language, it is the quintessential variable. If Elon Musk wants the last say on the meaning of X, he needs to be (or become?) the sole proprietor of the top-level domain X (and even then he would need to answer to the global organization that manages top-level domains).