Twitter suspends accounts of multiple journalists who have reported on Elon Musk
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A number of tech reporters who have been reporting on Elon Musk and Twitter in recent weeks appear to have been suspended from the social media platform without warning or explanation.
Several news-gatherers from CNN's Donie O’Sullivan, The Washington Post's Drew Harwell, the New York Times' Ryan Mac, The Independent's Aaron Rupar, The Intercept’s Micha Lee, Mashable’s Matt Binder, Aaron Rupar, and Tony Webster have had their accounts nixed by Twitter on the evening of December 15.
As per The Guardian, all reporters had penned articles about Musk suspending 20-year-old Jack Sweeney, who made headlines for tracking the tech billionaire's private jet using publicly available information.
Reporters covering Elon Musk being nuked:
— Jon Levine (@LevineJonathan) December 16, 2022
Donie O’Sullivan, @CNN
Drew Harwell, @washingtonpost
Ryan Mac, @nytimes
Aaron Rupar, independent pic.twitter.com/1x9oJijobA
New York Times tech reporter Ryan Mac said, as per his new Twitter account, that he was given 'no warning' before his account, which boasted over 80,000 followers, was suspended.
Mac also said he has received no communication from Twitter and has been 'permanently suspended'.
The journalist vowed that, despite the ban, he won't be changing how he works, which includes writing articles about 'Twitter, Elon Musk, and his companies'.
Some folks have asked so will try to answer here:
— Silenced Ryan Mac (@MacSilenced) December 16, 2022
-This is the notification on my account.
-I was given no warning.
-I have no email or communication from the company about the reason for suspension.
-I report on Twitter, Elon Musk and his companies. And I will continue to do so. pic.twitter.com/Fz14nStH7U
Musk has since lashed out at those tweeting about the reporter ban.
He tweeted: "Same doxxing rules apply to 'journalists' as to everyone else."
The suspensions came hours after Musk tweeted a warning to people posting real-time locations of himself and anyone on the platform.
"Any account doxxing real-time location info of anyone will be suspended, as it is a physical safety violation. This includes posting links to sites with real-time location info," Musk tweeted.
"Posting locations someone travelled to on a slightly delayed basis isn’t a safety problem, so it is ok."
In response to a comment from another reporter that he 'has begun banning journalists who have criticised him', Musk said: "Criticising me all day long is totally fine, but doxxing my real-time location and endangering my family is not."
Last night, car carrying lil X in LA was followed by crazy stalker (thinking it was me), who later blocked car from moving & climbed onto hood.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 15, 2022
Legal action is being taken against Sweeney & organizations who supported harm to my family.
The Twitter head did not clarify how or in what way the journalists who are now suspended had shared his 'exact real-time location'.
Twitter’s head of trust and safety Ella Irwin pointed the Verge to a policy update the company made yesterday prohibiting the sharing of 'live location information, including information shared on Twitter directly or links to 3rd-party URL(s) of travel routes.'
"Without commenting on any specific accounts, I can confirm that we will suspend any accounts that violate our privacy policies and put other users at risk,” Irwin told in the email. “We don’t make exceptions to this policy for journalists or any other accounts."
Twitter have been approached for comment.
Topics: News, Elon Musk, Twitter, US News, Social Media
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