Twitter owner Elon Musk does not seem like he will be taking Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s (D-N.Y.) recommendation to put his phone down.
The New York Congresswoman took aim at the billionaire after Twitter suspended several journalists including CNN correspondent Donie O’Sullivan, New York Times technology reporter Ryan Mac, Washington Post reporter Drew Harwell, The Intercept journalist Micah Lee, Mashable writer Matt Binder, former MSNBC host Keith Olbermann, and former Vox journalist Aaron Rupar.
The suspensions are set to last for seven days.
Musk explained the decision on Thursday night, writing, “They posted my exact real-time location, basically assassination coordinates, in (obvious) direct violation of Twitter terms of service.”
But Ocasio-Cortez criticized the move as she tweeted, “You’re a public figure. An extremely controversial and powerful one. I get feeling unsafe, but descending into abuse of power + erratically banning journalists only increases the intensity around you.”
“Take a beat and lay off the proto-fascism. Maybe try putting down your phone,” she continued.
The Congresswoman went on, “As someone who has been subject to real + dangerous plots, I do get it. I didn’t have security and have experienced many scary incidents. In fact, many of the right-wing outlets you now elevate published photos of my home, car, etc.”
Finally, she added, “At a certain point you gotta disconnect.”
As someone who has been subject to real + dangerous plots, I do get it. I didn’t have security and have experienced many scary incidents.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) December 16, 2022
In fact, many of the right-wing outlets you now elevate published photos of my home, car, etc.
At a certain point you gotta disconnect.
Musk shot back with just two words as he wrote, “You first.”
You first lol
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 16, 2022
To his credit, Musk tried to lay out some kind of standard for behavior that could get users suspended after Twitter suspended the account that was tracking his plane.
He claimed the accounts suspended on Thursday night posted his real-time location. However, NBC News noted it was unable to verify the claim.
It might be tempting for conservatives to look at the accounts that were suspended and cheer. Olbermann repeatedly shared ludicrous tweets including one calling for former President Donald Trump to be arrested and tried by a military court for calling for parts of the Constitution to be terminated.
And Rupar frequently would share clips taken out of context to make conservative commentators or politicians appear unintelligent or blowing some issue way out of proportion.
If these accounts were sharing his real-time location, that does not seem prudent, nor does it really seem newsworthy. He is a public figure, but that does not mean journalists should hop on Twitter and just disclose his location to the world because they feel like it. He is not the President of the United States. It is not a matter of national security to know where this billionaire is.
However, without them calling for people to go and murder Musk or harass and abuse him, it does not seem like something that is out of bounds for free speech.
Allowing people to exercise their free speech comes with risks such as someone criticizing you or publishing information about you that you do not want out in the open.
These recent rounds of suspensions do not appear to be a good sign for Musk’s promise of free speech on Twitter.
