Elon Musk told the BBC that reports about him being a "horrible person" have been "hurtful."

He also clashed with the reporter about misinformation on Twitter.

Musk went on to speak about the importance of free speech and holding power to account.

Elon Musk spoke about how media coverage of him had been "rough" and "hurtful" during a 90-minute interview with the BBC that was live-streamed on Tuesday night from Twitter's San Francisco office. 

"I've been under constant attack," the billionaire said. "It's not like I have a stone-cold heart or something. It's rough."

"If the media's firing non-stop stories about why you're a horrible person, it's hurtful," he added.

Musk didn't refer to any specific reports, but his management style has come under scrutiny several times.