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Twitter Suspends Accounts of Half a Dozen Journalists

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Summary

Twitter recently suspended the accounts of around half a dozen prominent journalists, including Ryan Mac of The New York Times, and Drew Harwell of The Washington Post. The accounts were suspended for allegedly violating the Twitter rules, however no further details were provided. The move came a day after Twitter suspended 25 accounts that tracked the planes of government agencies, billionaires, and prominent people, including Elon Musk's. Musk had previously said he would allow the account that tracked his private plane to remain on Twitter, but changed his mind after claiming a car his son was in was accosted by a “crazy stalker.” He said any account that posted real-time location info of anyone would be suspended, as it was a physical safety violation. After the suspensions of the journalists, several representatives from the news outlets they worked for expressed concern. Mastodon, an alternative social network, was also suspended by Twitter after promoting the new account of one of the journalists whose account was suspended. Many of the journalists had written articles that were critical of Musk, or had tweeted about the accounts that tracked his private plane.

Q&As

What accounts were suspended by Twitter on Thursday?
The accounts suspended included Ryan Mac of The New York Times; Drew Harwell of The Washington Post; Aaron Rupar, an independent journalist; Donie O’Sullivan of CNN; Matt Binder of Mashable; Tony Webster, an independent journalist; Micah Lee of The Intercept; and the political journalist Keith Olbermann.

What was the reason given by Twitter for the suspensions?
Twitter said that it suspends accounts that “violate the Twitter rules” but did not provide details.

What prompted Elon Musk to suspend the accounts tracking his private plane?
Mr. Musk changed his mind this week, after he claimed a car in which one of his sons was traveling was accosted by a “crazy stalker.”

What changes has Elon Musk implemented since taking over Twitter?
Since taking over Twitter, Elon Musk has allowed some banned users to return to the platform, including former President Donald J. Trump, and has formed a council to advise him on policy matters before making changes to the company’s content moderation policies. He has also disbanded a trust and safety advisory group that had guided Twitter on thorny issues like harassment and child exploitation.

What was the reaction of various news organizations to the suspensions?
The New York Times said that the suspensions were “questionable and unfortunate” and that they had not received any explanation about why this occurred. The Washington Post did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Kristine Coratti Kelly, a CNN spokeswoman, said the suspensions were “concerning but not surprising” and that “Twitter’s increasing instability and volatility should be of incredible concern for everyone who uses” it.

AI Comments

👍 Twitter's suspension of prominent journalists is an important step forward in protecting user safety, as outlined in their rules. It is commendable that Elon Musk is taking extra measures to ensure the safety of those using the platform.

👎 Twitter's suspension of journalists without explanation and the disbanding of their trust and safety advisory group is concerning and limits free speech on the platform. It is disheartening to see Mr. Musk's actions go against his earlier commitment to free speech.

AI Discussion

Me: It's about Twitter suspending the accounts of half a dozen prominent journalists, including Ryan Mac from The New York Times, Drew Harwell from The Washington Post and others. It appears to be linked to Elon Musk's recent takeover of Twitter, and many of the accounts were suspended after they wrote about the accounts tracking private planes.

Friend: Wow. That's concerning. What do you think the implications of this are?

Me: Well, it could be seen as an attempt to limit freedom of speech and stifle journalists from reporting on important issues. It could also be seen as a form of censorship, as journalists who write about topics that are critical of Musk or Twitter could be targeted. It could also have a chilling effect on the public discourse, as people may be more hesitant to speak out against Musk or Twitter if they fear their accounts could be suspended. Additionally, it could lead to a lack of trust in Twitter and other social media platforms, as people may worry that their accounts could be suspended at any time.

Action items

Follow the news and developments related to Twitter's suspension of accounts and Elon Musk's takeover.
Reach out to the journalists whose accounts were suspended and ask them about their experience.
Research and learn more about the implications of Twitter's suspension of accounts and Elon Musk's takeover on free speech and content moderation policies.

Technical terms

Twitter: A social media platform owned by Elon Musk.
Elon Musk: The owner of Twitter.
Hate Speech: Speech that is intended to insult, offend, or intimidate a person or group based on their race, religion, gender, or other protected characteristics.
Advertising Woes: Difficulties or problems related to advertising on Twitter.
Takeover: The acquisition of a company by another company or individual.
Doxxing: The sharing of someone’s personal documents, including information such as their address.
Mastodon: An alternative social network.