On Friday (December 16, US local time), Elon Musk announced that he would reinstate the accounts of journalists, who were earlier suspended for doxxing him on Twitter.
In a tweet, Musk wrote, “The people have spoken. Accounts who doxxed my location will have their suspension lifted now.” He had conducted a poll on the micro-blogging site and sought people’s opinions before reinstating the suspended accounts.
The people have spoken.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 17, 2022
Accounts who doxxed my location will have their suspension lifted now. https://t.co/MFdXbEQFCe
Earlier on Thursday (December 15), about 58.7% of the 3.6 million participants voted in favour of lifting the ban on the accounts of those who revealed the real-time location of Elon Musk.
It is not the first time when the new Twitter owner made such a decision based on public polls. Elon Musk had similarly reinstated the Twitter account of former US President Donald Trump in November this year.
Unsuspend accounts who doxxed my exact location in real-time
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 16, 2022
On Wednesday (December 14, US local time), Elon Musk informed that his 2-year-old son named ‘X’ was doxxed by a ‘crazy stalker’ after mistaking his child for him. The stalker was seen wearing a black hoodie and recording the incident on camera.
“Last night, a car carrying little X in LA was followed by a crazy stalker (thinking it was me), who later blocked the car from moving & climbed onto the hood,” Musk narrated the ordeal.
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.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 15, 2022
Posting locations someone traveled to on a slightly delayed basis isn’t a safety problem, so is ok.
Later, Elon Musk announced that the Twitter handles which post the real-time location of individuals and compromise their physical safety would be suspended.
According to New York Post journalist, Jon Levine, several reporters have faced the wrath of the new Twitter owner under the new doxxing rules.
This included CNN reporter, Donie O’Sullivan, Washington Post reporter Drew Harwell, The New York Times reporter Ryan Mac and independent journalist Aaron Rupar.
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
While responding to a Twitter user, Musk clarified that journalists would not be treated as exceptions for endangering the lives of individuals by posting links to their live location. “Same doxxing rules apply to “journalists” as to everyone else,” he reiterated.
The European Commission and the United Nations condemned the new Twitter owner for allegedly curtailing media freedom.
