After Twitter poll, Musk agrees to reactivate journos’ suspended accounts

After a Twitter poll, Elon Musk late on Friday promised to reactivate the Twitter accounts of journalists which were suspended after he accused them of endangering his family.

“The people have spoken. Accounts who doxxed my location will have their suspension lifted now,” the maverick business tycoon tweeted.

The people have spoken.

Accounts who doxxed my location will have their suspension lifted now. https://t.co/MFdXbEQFCe

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 17, 2022

Some accounts reactivated

Musk had suspended the accounts of more than half a dozen prominent journalists from the New York Times, CNN, and the Washington Post, drawing criticism from the European Union (EU) and United Nations (UN).

In the poll, Musk asked whether he should restore the suspended accounts now or in a week. About 59% of the 3.69 million who took part in the poll said he should restore the accounts now.

Also read: Elon Musk’s management style: Some call it effective, others call it toxic

Some of the suspended accounts have already been reactivated, with former Vox journalist Aaron Rupar tweeting again.

“I was pretty bummed about getting suspended initially but quickly realized it’d be fine because I’m blessed to have an amazing online community,” Rupar tweeted, thanking people for their support.

Row over tracking account

Twitter has been mired in controversy ever since Musk bought the micro-blogging site after paying $44 billion. The latest controversy began when Musk on Wednesday suspended @elonjet, an account that tracked flights of his private plane.

Musk said the move was necessary after “a crazy stalker” followed a car in Los Angeles carrying one of his children. He seemed to blame the tracking of his jet for the incident.

Also read: ‘Genius’ Elon Musk surely has a game plan with Twitter: Harsh Goenka

Some of the journalists had reported the incident, including tweets linking to the suspended @elonjet account. Musk said it amounted to offering “assassination coordinates” against him and his family.

In a chat hosted live on Twitter, Musk provided no evidence for his claim but told some of the suspended reporters that on Twitter “everyone’s going to be treated the same… they’re not special because you’re a journalist.”

Pressed further on his allegations, Musk ended the conversation. Twitter Spaces, the feature where the chat took place, was then suspended.

Warning by EU

Musk’s move to suspend the journalists’ accounts drew criticism from media organizations, the EU, and the UN. “News about arbitrary suspension of journalists on Twitter is worrying,” EU commissioner Vera Jourova tweeted, warning the platform could face hefty fines through European laws. “Elon Musk should be aware of that. There are red lines. And sanctions, soon,” she added.

Also read: How Elon Musk’s ruthless layoffs, summary firings paint him as an employer

The spokesman for UN chief Antonio Guterres called it a “dangerous precedent at a time when journalists all over the world are facing censorship, physical threats and even worse.”

(With agency inputs)