Twitter has suspended the accounts of several journalists who published posts about the real-time movements of the owner of the social network, Elon Musk. Among those who have seen their suspended profiles are journalists working for The New York Times, Washington Post, CNN and other publications.
In the past few hours, Musk had accused journalists of sharing private information about his location, tracing his air movements in real time. So the social network suspended the @elonjet account that reported its owner’s private jet trips.
Who are the suspended journalists?
Among the suspended journalists who have spread news about him in recent weeks are some high-profile ones. These are Donie O’Sullivan of CNN, Ryan Mac of the Washington Post and Drew Harwell of the New York Times, but also others, such as independents Aaron Rupar and Tony Webster, Micha Lee of The Intercept, Matt Binder of Mashable. A Twitter spokeswoman told The Verge that the ban was related to real-time sharing of Musk’s location data.
What the new “doxxing” policy provides
The suspended accounts should therefore have been accused of violating its new “doxxing” policy. Refers to the practice of sharing someone’s home address or other personal information online. The banned account had used publicly available flight data, which remains online and accessible, to track Musk’s jet.
Cnn: an unjustified action
“The impulsive and unwarranted suspension of a number of reporters, including CNN’s Donie O’Sullivan, is concerning, but not surprising. Twitter’s growing instability and volatility should be a matter of concern for everyone who uses Twitter,” said a CNN spokesperson. A New York Times spokesman called the suspensions “questionable” and said neither the paper nor reporter Ryan Mac had received any explanation.
Musk’s reply
The businessman did not comment directly on the suspensions, but wrote in a tweet: “Criticizing me all day is fine, but doxxing my position in real time and endangering my family is not.”