‘Hell No’: Journos Refuse to Give in to Musk’s Demands For Twitter Accounts to Be Unlocked

Jim Watson/Getty Images

Elon Musk reversed course on his recent decision to suspend multiple journalists on Twitter, but many of them remain suspended as they refuse to meet the company’s demands for reinstatement.

The crack down kicked off after Musk first booted an account dedicated to tracking the location of his private jet. Musk then suspended a number of journalists who had tweeted about that account. Although Musk said he would reinstate those accounts, the journalists still have to delete the material Musk took issue with.

CNN’s Donie O’Sullivan previously revealed this demand and said he refused to delete any tweets, maintaining that he did not violate the new rules. According to a report from The Washington Post, a number of other journalists are also balking at the idea of deleting past tweets to regain access to Twitter.

From The Washington Post:

None of the journalists’ tweets about @ElonJet, however, disclosed information about Musk or his jet’s location, despite Musk’s claim that the journalists had posted “assassination coordinates.”

The reporters maintain that their tweets were part of their reporting activities and didn’t violate any rules about “doxing,” the unsavory practice of posting personal information without permission. Accepting Musk’s demand for deletion, they say, would amount to a false admission of wrongdoing and an abdication to Musk’s subjective enforcement. They remain suspended.

One of the suspended journalists is the Post’s own Drew Harwell, who bluntly responded to Musk’s request.

“Hell, no. I’m not deleting a tweet that contained factual information and didn’t violate anyone’s rules,” he told the outlet.

Some did give into Musk’s demands. Aaron Rupar told the Post he took issue with Musk’s suspensions, but he deleted the requested material to get back to tweeting to his massive following.

“I don’t plan to quit Twitter,” he said.

Others who remain suspended include Voice of America’s Steve Herman, Ryan Mac of the New York Times, Susan Li of Fox Business, and Micah Lee of the Intercept.

“The rules are arbitrary and capricious,” Herman said. “They appear to be based on the whims of the owner of the platform.”

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