Micah LeeDec 20, 2022

Elon Musk is Still Silencing the Journalists he Banned from Twitter.

It looks like our accounts have been reinstated, but it's an illusion: We're actually locked out and can't post anything without deleting specific tweets the billionaire doesn't like.

This latest article embeds a Mastodon post and links to posts by @drewharwell @MattBinder @w7voa and @tony

https://theintercept.com/2022/12/20/elon-musk-twitter-banned-journalists/

Elon Musk Is Still Silencing the Journalists He Banned From Twitter

To you, it looks like Musk unblocked journalists like me. It’s an illusion: The truth is that we are still locked out of our accounts.

The Intercept
mward100Dec 21, 2022
Show threadDan Gillmor

Re ⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️

by @micahflee

Big Journalism mustered a few pathetic protests to Musk's control freakery with reporters' accounts, but maintained business as usual on the birdsite.

In other words, Musk is winning his campaign against freedom of expression that he dislikes.

You'd imagine that the journalism business would take genuine action -- eg leaving Twitter -- to demonstrate a backbone, and help preserve press freedom. You would be wrong, sadly.

@drewharwell @MattBinder @w7voa @tony

Dec 21, 2022 at 12:41amWeb
Show thread@infosec_jcp 🐈🃏 done differentlyDec 21, 2022

@dangillmor @micahflee @drewharwell @MattBinder @w7voa @tony

Well it's a good thing you wrote this ... *Checks Notes* on #mastadon 📝

Send Publish. 💨

Show threadexcited for the mastodon riseDec 21, 2022
@dangillmor @micahflee @drewharwell @MattBinder @w7voa @tony I would not imagine that, actually, because the businesses you're talking about are oligarch owned for the benefit of oligarchs, and they like Musk's model better than their own
Show threadGary HyslopDec 21, 2022
@dangillmor @micahflee @drewharwell @MattBinder @w7voa @tony Yeah, I was pretty disappointed to see the ones allowed back breaking solidarity with the rest by going back to (not quite) business as usual.
Show threadNanaKimDec 21, 2022
@dangillmor Twitter is their drug of choice apparently.
Show threadVelvet BladeDec 21, 2022
@micahflee @drewharwell @tony @MattBinder @w7voa @dangillmor As in 2016, click bait of Musks outrageous behaviour sells
Show threadsub_oDec 21, 2022
@dangillmor @micahflee @drewharwell @MattBinder @w7voa @tony internet journalism relies on clickbait. Why would they kill their golden goose right now. It's only when their bottom line is hurt, then they will start moving out.
Show threadGuitarGirlDec 21, 2022
@dangillmor @micahflee @drewharwell @MattBinder @w7voa @tony 🤑🤑🤑 <—- “journalism”
Show threadCharles J Gervasi ⚡🛡️🥥Dec 21, 2022
@dangillmor @micahflee @drewharwell @MattBinder @w7voa @tony
I can't imagine why they keep using a platform that someone else controls, esp someone unstable. The Internet is still there. I think they should use it.
Show threadCarl JuneauDec 21, 2022
@dangillmor -- IDC if journalists and the MSM lack the backbone to leave the Dodo Bird. But I and thousands more like me are leaving it because we're tired of the vitriol, the toxicity, the misinformation, and Musk's lording it over everyone. You want to reach me? -- you find me here, not there. Scheiß drauf !
Show threadJim LipseyDec 21, 2022
@dangillmor @micahflee @drewharwell @MattBinder @w7voa @tony Large news organizations always disliked that their journalists can accrue a big following on Twitter which goes with them to their next job. Musk banning journalists—but not news orgs—causes a general migration of followers to the company-controlled accounts. Going forward, expect new journos to only get the gold “affiliated” badge.
Show threadSeacrets Enthusiast (parody)Dec 21, 2022
@dangillmor @micahflee @drewharwell @MattBinder @w7voa @tony CBS had a (not publicly announced) pause on Twitter for a full 48 hours a few weekends ago; they shrugged and resumed posting afterwards and their reward was Elon (who apparently got wind of it) tweeting a meme dunking on them
Show threadEdward HewerDec 21, 2022
@dangillmor @micahflee @drewharwell @MattBinder @w7voa @tony big business moves slowly and the bird app is still big.
Show threadBarneyRCN🇨🇦⚓️🎓Dec 21, 2022
@dangillmor @micahflee @drewharwell @MattBinder @w7voa @tony Very sad indeed!
Show threadSSFC KDT (MOVED)Dec 21, 2022

@dangillmor @micahflee @drewharwell @MattBinder @w7voa @tony

I hate to say it (okay no I don't), but what happened to the Internet and what happened to the ethics and principles of the news media are similar, and for the most part, the general public, didn't really do a lot to discourage it from happening. In a lot of ways, in fact, we warmly embraced it as it happened.

But mostly I blame 70s movies for teaching us that news media had ethics and principles other than "selling papers"

Show threadHTPC NZDec 21, 2022
@dangillmor @micahflee @drewharwell @MattBinder @w7voa @tony I bet all the billionaire owners of large media organisations etc are laughing with Musk, admiring how much of a genius he is, putting these "pesky" journalists in their rightful place... Not even faux outrage from them this time around.
Show threadHank ChenDec 21, 2022
@dangillmor @micahflee @drewharwell @MattBinder @w7voa @tony It’s worse than that. Some of them are still giving money to Twitter by advertising there. I saw two ads from news sites today. 🤦‍♂️
Show threadThadDec 21, 2022
@dangillmor @micahflee @drewharwell @MattBinder @w7voa @tony At this point I'd be more surprised by the press standing up to somebody powerful and risking their access to him.
Show threadProScience 🇪🇺Dec 21, 2022

@dangillmor @micahflee @drewharwell @MattBinder @w7voa @tony

Well said. This rise of fascism is facilitated by political competitors and journalists who aren't showing enough backbone.

Show threadPólóDec 21, 2022

@dangillmor @micahflee @drewharwell @MattBinder @w7voa @tony

When has the MSM ever shown backbone in recent times?

Show threadChofuAlumDec 21, 2022

@poloduibhir @dangillmor @micahflee @drewharwell @MattBinder @w7voa @tony

Pretty sure the message the Saudis sent to *journalists* was received loud & clear. Twitter is for the compliant. Musk is culling the non-compliant. He has his orders too.

Show threadPólóDec 21, 2022

@ChofuAlum @dangillmor @micahflee @drewharwell @MattBinder @w7voa @tony

Any idea how this is likely to pan out?

Show threadChofuAlumDec 22, 2022
@poloduibhir @dangillmor @micahflee @drewharwell @MattBinder @w7voa @tony
Wannabe ultra-rich rulers of the world are not fond of freedom for the masses. In the 21st century, keeping the masses under control means own the media. Consider George Floyd's murder exposed by viral video vs the official report on Floyd's cause of death. Saudis made it clear they can get away with murdering journalists that don't play nice.
Control = silencing the masses = owning the media & the narrative.
Show threadJonoDec 21, 2022
@dangillmor @micahflee @drewharwell @MattBinder @w7voa @tony , do news corps make money off Twitter because I can understand why they may keep a presence but they could get their reporters to move to here and post their links via their main news sites to mastodon instead. I mean, I only follow their links from their main sites anyway.
Show threadJesseDec 21, 2022
@dangillmor @micahflee @drewharwell @MattBinder @w7voa @tony Sadly I hardly imagine such. Social media is the largest source of engagement they have. If they remove their presence there, they lose a large part of their audience. No one really has the fortitude to do what's right anymore, and that's sad. Humanity has surrendered to the monsters it has given rise to.
Show threadSpockoDec 21, 2022

@dangillmor @micahflee @drewharwell @w7voa @tony
What actions can be taken to stop the harm that Musk is causing at Twitter & who is taking them?
@MattBinder & I discussed this last night.
https://youtu.be/KMH3ThOxpas?t=5924

1) The coalition that successfully convinced advertisers to leave until #Twitter is #safe for their brands. StopToxicTwitter.com

2) Tesla stockholders.
They want him to step down as CEO. Is that enough? No!

3) #FTC See Sen Warren's letter https://www.warren.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/2022.12.18%20Letter%20to%20Tesla%20Board%20on%20Musk%20Concerns.pdf

1/

Banned From Twitter + Year in Review (w/ Emma Vigeland) - DOOMED

YouTube
Show threadSpockoDec 21, 2022

@dangillmor @micahflee @drewharwell @w7voa @tony @MattBinder

4) Users of the #Twitter app on iOS. Contact Apple & inform them the app isn't meeting their guidelines.
#TimCook gave Musk time to meet their guidelines. How much? Did he?

5) #EU regulations on VLOPs. They aren't in place yet, but #Musk 's firings could open them up to fines & penalties in 28 regions, not just one!
It's an opportunity to pressure Musk now vs. in 5 months
@riptari
6) The non-Saudi bankers he owns $12.7 billion to

Show threadPirateRoDec 21, 2022
@dangillmor @micahflee @drewharwell @MattBinder @w7voa @tony musk isn’t winning anything! Opening the door to fuck up fascists is not winning!
Show threadRoanna Flowers (Petty Davis)Dec 22, 2022
@dangillmor @micahflee @drewharwell @MattBinder @w7voa @tony They’ve been sans vertebrae for at least 7 years. I’m not at all shocked.
Show threadKingsley Uyi IdehenDec 22, 2022

@dangillmor @micahflee @drewharwell @MattBinder @w7voa @tony ,

At the very least, respond en masse by creating their own #Fediverse instances i.e., modern day #web presence.

#Journalism #FourthEstate #FreeSpeech

Show threadLiberalTalkingPointsDec 22, 2022
@dangillmor @micahflee @drewharwell @MattBinder @w7voa @tony its stick together or hang separately over there
Show threadacmDec 22, 2022
@dangillmor Just read that the Post is buying its own instance on Mastodon?