

Tim Karr, a senior director at Free Press, a U.S.-based organization that advocates for more just and democratic media, wrote in August 2023:
Working With China to Censor Critics
As Musk began rolling out sales of Tesla in China in 2021, he and company colleagues became unnerved by a number of consumers who had taken to Chinese social media to complain about issues with the company’s malfunctioning electric cars. Rather than fix the problems, Tesla called on the Chinese government to use its censorship powers to block its critics online.
By the end of the year, the company filed defamation claims against at least two Chinese citizens who raised concerns about the safety and quality of its vehicles …
Addition:
Here’s a look at free speech absolutist Elon Musk’s ties to Chinese censorship – (2022)
Consumers began to stage increasingly visible anti-Tesla protests [over reported vehicle malfunctions, such as brake failures, unexpected acceleration, and battery fires], leading Tesla to undertake an effort to better control public perception of the brand. The plan it devised reportedly involved the company “complain[ing] to the government over what it sees as unwarranted attacks on social media,” according to insiders who spoke to Businessweek at the time, then “ask[ing] Beijing to use its censorship powers to block some of the posts.”
I don’t understand this language. If you read the quotation out of context, you are right, but the article clearly refers to Tibet and the environmental impact there - and only there. The whole case is about Tibet. I honestly don’t understand why you make that such a big deal.