Singer Elton John has announced he has abandoned Twitter following billionaire Elon Musk’s purchase of the social network, which spurred the growth of disinformation and hate speech disguised as “free speech”.
“All my life I have tried to use music to bring people together. Yet it saddens me to see how misinformation is being used to divide our world,” John tweeted on Friday (9/12). “I have decided to no longer use Twitter, due to the recent policy change that will allow disinformation to flourish unchecked,” he added.
John did not explain what policy changes led to his decision. But there is no shortage of options. In a November update, for example, Twitter announced that the platform would no longer enforce its anti-COVID-19 misinformation policy.
Likewise, recent reports point to an exponential growth in hate speech within the platform, including Nazi innuendo.
After seeing the artist’s tweet announcing his departure, Musk tried to interact: “I love your music. I hope you come back. Is there any particular misinformation that worries you?”. The singer did not respond, keeping his promise to leave the platform.
Elton John created his Twitter account in 2010 and has had over 1 million followers. He now joins a growing list of celebrities rumored to have left Twitter, including singer Sara Bareilles and TV producers Ken Olin (“This Is Us”), Brian Koppelman (“Billions”) and Shonda Rhimes (“Grey’s Anatomy” ).
While some users have completely deleted their profiles on the social network, other stars seem to have simply stopped tweeting and using their accounts.
Digital strategist and podcaster Wynter Mitchell Rohrbaugh told The Hollywood Reporter last month that he’s advising clients to keep their accounts and simply not use them.
“You can say that you will cancel or not post after a specific date, but I don’t recommend deleting completely. [o perfil] because you’ll never get that audience back,” he explained. I’m telling everyone to shut up and wait – for now.
Since taking control of Twitter in late October, Musk has come under criticism for his handling of the social media platform, including policy changes and mass employee layoffs. This has also caused advertisers to withdraw from the platform.
Musk has always been open about what he stands for as freedom of expression and has said that will be his focus for the platform. He also claimed that he would reinstate the accounts of previously banned users, such as former President Donald Trump and Kanye West. But after releasing Kanye’s comeback, the rapper released a swastika.
🇧🇷The best content in your email for free. Choose your favorite Terra newsletter. Click here!
Source: Terra
Jason Root is a writer at Gossipify, known for his in-depth coverage of famous people in entertainment, sports, and politics. He has a passion for uncovering the stories behind the headlines and bringing readers an inside look at the lives of the famous. He has been writing for Gossipify for several years and has a degree in Journalism from UC Berkeley.
