Elon Musk Throws Down the Gauntlet Against Apple: ‘Do They Hate Free Speech in America?’

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Elon Musk is wondering if Apple hates “free speech in America” after the company pulled most of its advertising from Twitter. He also accused Apple of threatening to remove Twitter from their App Store.

“Apple has mostly stopped advertising on Twitter. Do they hate free speech in America?” Musk tweeted on Monday.

He followed up by asking Apple CEO Tim Cook, “what’s going on here?”

Numerous Musk critics pushed back on the new Twitter owner’s definition of free speech, arguing Apple is free to flee the company amidst Musk’s takeover, which has been riddled with mass layoffs and controversial decisions like ending Donald Trump’s suspension.

“This makes no sense,” MSNBC’s Stephanie Ruhle tweeted in response to Musk, arguing protesting private companies like Gap or Whole Foods does not equate to hating free speech.

Other typically regular Musk critics came to Apple’s defense.

Musk has said his goal is to make Twitter profitable and to turn the social media platform into a public town square with limited activity from bot and spam accounts.

Musk doubled down on his criticism of Apple after the company LBRY claimed that Apple threatened removing them from their store if they did not “filter some search terms from being returned” during the Covid pandemic.

“Who else has Apple censored?” Musk asked in response.

Musk also claimed Apple similarly threatened to “withhold” Twitter from their App Store.

“Apple has also threatened to withhold Twitter from its App Store, but won’t tell us why,” the Twitter owner announced. He also posted a poll for his Twitter followers, asking whether Apple should “publish all censorship actions it has taken that affect its customers.”

Musk has relied on polls posted to Twitter in the past, previously asking users whether he should allow Trump back onto the platform. After a slim majority voted “yes,” Musk announced the former president’s account was being reinstated.

In later tweets, Musk accused Apple of a “secret” 30 percent “tax” on purchases and joked through a meme he’s going to “war” with the company.

https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1597302404239659008

Musk has criticized Apple’s fees in the past, tweeting in May that Apple’s store is “like having a 30 [percent] tax on the internet.”

The company’s fees, he tweeted, are “10 times higher” than they should be.