Elon Musk faced backlash from officials in Europe after Twitter suspended the accounts of several U.S. journalists.
U.S. and international officials condemned Twitter and Elon Musk on Friday after the social media company abruptly suspended several U.S. journalists, expressing concern about retaliation and the potentially chilling effect on free speech.
The moves invited sharp rebuke from public officials at the European Commission, the United Nations and criticism from a U.S. senator. Even some of Musk’s own supporters, who advocate a broad interpretation of free speech, appeared taken aback by the about turn.
The fate of the accounts – which Musk has said were suspended for posting location data in violation of new rules – could be resolved by late Friday, when a Twitter poll on reinstating them immediately or in seven days he launched was scheduled to conclude.
Accounts that were suspended include @ElonJet, which tracks the location of Musk’s private plane through the use of publicly available data, as well as other accounts that track helicopter and plane locations. Twitter suspended the accounts of several journalists on Thursday night, including from The , the New York Times and CNN. He has previously restored accounts following such polls.
Musk later accused the reporters of posting “basically assassination coordinates” for him and his family – although he provided no evidence that any of the journalists had done so.
Also on Friday, the account of Linette Lopez, a journalist who has written critically of Musk and Tesla also appeared to be suspended. It was not immediately clear what had prompted the suspension.
Musk took over Twitter in a $44 billion deal in late October, pledging to make the site a haven for “free speech,” much to the delight of some right-wing politicians and pundits who have accused social media companies, often baselessly, of censoring them in recent years.
Musk’s short time leading the company has been marked by upheaval. He has gutted Twitter’s workforce, disbanded an outside trust and safety council and reinstated numerous banned accounts, including that of former president Donald Trump.
U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., tweeted in defense of the reporters Friday, saying that Musk’s actions, “are a fast track to Twitter becoming obsolete.
