Twitter is still undergoing a transition as Elon Musk continues to make major changes not just for how the platform is run, but also for who is allowed on it. After multiple accounts were banned from Twitter, Musk is allowing many to be reinstated.
These seven famous Twitter users who were previously banned have now been reinstated: The Babylon Bee, Dr. Jordan Peterson, Dr. James Linsday, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (personal account), former president Donald Trump, James O’Keefe, and Meghan Murphy.
Since the beginning of his ownership of the social media giant, Musk has made clear that he wanted to lift many lifelong bans that were imposed on certain users, a source told Bloomberg.
Musk also promised to make Twitter a place for free speech.
“The reason I acquired Twitter is because it is important to the future of civilization to have a common digital town square, where a wide range of beliefs can be debated in a healthy manner, without resorting to violence,” Musk wrote in a statement that he posted soon after his takeover.
Dear Twitter Advertisers pic.twitter.com/GMwHmInPAS
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 27, 2022
He later reiterated this view on Friday, tweeting, “New Twitter policy is freedom of speech, but not freedom of reach.”
New Twitter policy is freedom of speech, but not freedom of reach.
Negative/hate tweets will be max deboosted & demonetized, so no ads or other revenue to Twitter.
You won’t find the tweet unless you specifically seek it out, which is no different from rest of Internet.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 18, 2022
In keeping with that, the conservative, satirical news site, the Babylon Bee was reinstated on Twitter on Friday.
“We’re back. Let that sink in,” the Babylon Bee account tweeted.
We’re back. Let that sink in.
— The Babylon Bee (@TheBabylonBee) November 18, 2022
The Babylon Bee had previously been banned in March 2022 for satire.
“Our crime? We jokingly selected Rachel Levine — a prominent transgender government official — as our pick for ‘Man of the Year.’ (This was our satirical response to Levine’s being named one of the top women of the year by USA Today. Yes, that actually happened),” the Babylon Bee reported on its ban.
But now the Bee is back.
Dr. Lindsay, a mathematician and author, has also been reinstated on Twitter after being banned in August after posting views on the COVID vaccine, tweeting “The scientific name for long COVID is vaccine injury,” and also the phrase “Okay, Groomer,” the Post Millenial reported.
Now Lindsay is back on the platform.
“I don’t know how I feel about this. I don’t think platforms like Twitter should be where the big conversations happen, but we have to work with the world as it is. Also, they need to free Dr. Rollergator,” Lindsay told the Post Millenial after he was reinstated.
Dr. Peterson, a famous clinical psychologist, commentator, and author is also back on Twitter after he was banned in June after reportedly tweeting, “Remember when pride was a sin? And Ellen Page just had her breasts removed by a criminal physician,” The Sun reported.
On Friday, Peterson tweeted about his comeback, “I’m back. Thanks @elonmusk.”
I’m back. Thanks @elonmusk pic.twitter.com/MnWWNDACGD
— Dr Jordan B Peterson (@jordanbpeterson) November 18, 2022
James O’Keefe, the creator of the activist site Project Veritas, was also banned but is now back.
In April 2021, O’Keefe’s Project Veritas account was deactivated for “platform manipulation and spam policy,” The Crunch reported.
But Project Veritas was officially allowed back on the platform and tweeted a thank you to Musk on Sunday.
“Thank you @ElonMusk for reinstating the Project Veritas Twitter account and for standing up for real investigative journalism Stay tuned for an exclusive on this account 11/29 – A brave whistleblower inside the federal government is going on the record about child trafficking,” the tweet read.
Thank you @ElonMusk for reinstating the Project Veritas Twitter account and for standing up for real investigative journalism ⁰⁰Stay tuned for an exclusive on this account 11/29 – A brave whistleblower inside the federal government is going on the record about child trafficking pic.twitter.com/wJotKQBiKM
— Project Veritas (@Project_Veritas) November 21, 2022
Murphy, a Canadian author who became known for her critics of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, was banned in 2018 after she reportedly called a transgender activist (who identified as a female) as a “male,” TFIGlobal reported.
On Sunday Murphy was reinstated on the platform and thanked Musk.
“Thank you @joerogan and @elonmusk! Raicilla for everyone,” she tweeted.
Thank you @joerogan and @elonmusk! Raicilla for everyone ??
— Meghan Murphy (@MeghanEMurphy) November 21, 2022
The two biggest Twitter reinstatements, however, have been Rep. Greene’s and Trump’s.
Greene originally had her personal account (not her Congressional one) banned from Twitter in January 2022 for what Twitter deemed was COVID misinformation, the New York Times reported.
But now, the Republican representative for Georgia had her personal account restored on Monday, the Associated Press reported.
Just a few days before Greene’s reinstatement, Musk also announced that he would allow Trump back on Twitter, who was banned after the Jan. 6, 2021, incidents.
“The people have spoken. Trump will be reinstated. Vox Populi, Vox Dei,” Musk tweeted on Saturday after running a poll asking if users wanted Trump’s account reactivated.
The people have spoken.
Trump will be reinstated.
Vox Populi, Vox Dei. https://t.co/jmkhFuyfkv
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 20, 2022
But while Trump’s old account is active and able to be viewed again, Trump has also said that he will just remain on his own social media platform Truth Social, the Washington Examiner reported.
But some think he will eventually make use of Twitter once again, the Examiner added.
While these prominent reinstatements have caught a lot of attention and evoked various responses, this seems to be just one more step in Musk’s continued work at overhauling Twitter and changing the platform immensely and quickly since his takeover.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
