Twitter press suspensions become media flashpoint
Free Speech,Online Censorship,Twitter,Elon Musk,Journalism,Doxxing
The suspension of several journalists on Twitter Thursday immediately set off a firestorm, with mainstream press crying foul over what they perceived as an attempt by Elon Musk to silence his critics and right-wing voices arguing that the liberal media finally got a taste of its own medicine.
Why it matters: Musk has said repeatedly that he stands for free speech, but the inconsistency of his content moderation decisions has begun to alienate traditional media outlets.
What they're saying: "The suspension of (Washington Post reporter) Drew Harwell's Twitter account directly undermines Elon Musk's claim that he intends to run Twitter as a platform dedicated to free speech," said Sally Buzbee, executive editor of The Washington Post.
CNN said in a statement it will "reevaluate" its relationship with Twitter based on Musk's response to questions from CNN about why one of its reporters' accounts was suspended.
The other side: "TABLES HAVE TURNED: Elon Musk suspends CNN, NYT, WaPo journalists, reminding them the rules also apply to them," Fox News tweeted.
"Oh so now you care about censorship and having your Twitter accounts banned?" tweeted conservative activist Charlie Kirk, founder and president of Turning Point USA.
