Global protests against Tesla CEO Elon Musk

Protesters gathered outside Tesla showrooms around the world on Saturday as part of a global day of action against billionaire chief executive Elon Musk. The protest is part of the Tesla Takedown movement — a grassroots campaign that calls for people to boycott Tesla, sell their shares and join local picket lines in a peaceful demonstration against Musk’s influence.

Elon Musks joins AfD campaign launch

 US billionaire and adviser to President Donald Trump, Elon Musk again backed the AfD, as he appeared via videolink at the campaign launch ahead of the address of the party's lead candidate, Alice Weidel.

"I'm very excited for the AfD. I think you are really the best hope for Germany," Musk — who has been accused of meddling in European politics — said and added that it was OK to "take pride" in being German.

"I think there is frankly too much of a focus on past guilt, and we need to move beyond that. Children should not be guilty of the sins of their parents or even their great-grandparents," he said.

Germany's domestic intelligence agency, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV), has classified the AfD as a "suspected" far-right extremist organization. 

Elon Musk continues to provide support to political party's with racist, white nationalist and authoritarian ideologies. He supports dictatorial rule. He supports the British Reform party and the party led by Frances Marine Le Pen. 

   

Starlink is revolutionary tech, but there are red flags | The Listening Post

SpaceX’s Starlink is revolutionizing global connectivity, delivering high-speed internet almost anywhere. But with Musk’s growing satellite monopoly come questions about the potential risks of such concentrated power.

Disruptor-in-Chief: The politics of Elon Musk

As the US election looms, Elon Musk’s erratic and sometimes dangerous posts have made him one of the biggest purveyors of disinformation on his platform. How is the world’s richest man using his influence to shape the American political debate?

Is Brazil's ban of social media platform X legal or political?

Site failed to comply with court order to block accounts linked to disinformation.

Social media giant X has been banned in Brazil.

It is the latest development in a months-long dispute between a Supreme Court judge and tech billionaire Elon Musk over censorship and disinformation.

Why the Creator Economy's snub of Twitter shows Elon Musk didn't understand monetization

Mr. Beast, the biggest creator personality says it's not worth it for him to post on X, once known as Twitter. Why not? Well, MrBeast says that even if he got a "billion views" that wouldn't cover a fraction of his costs.

Six months of Elon Musk’s Twitterverse

 Since Musk took over Twitter, the platform has changed for the worse, from reinstating previously banned accounts to wide-scale staff layoffs. Plus, the squeeze on Venezuela’s media.

Twitter, the damage that Elon Musk has done to the brand and the journalists who can’t quite quit the platform

The Twitter Files: The deep state connection

 

The Twitter Files reveal the company’s secret relationship with the US government. Plus, SLAPPs – the tool used by the powerful to silence critical journalism.

The stories that have come out of the Twitter Files have touched on much more than institutional bias – revealing that, for years, Twitter has been pressured by some very powerful institutions to suppress, moderate and in some cases amplify its content.

But given that Elon Musk was also selective with what he chose to hand over to reporters – what are we not seeing in the Twitter Files?

Deepfake of Elon Musk high on drugs goes viral

In this edition of Truth or Fake we investigate a deepfake video where Elon Musk allegedly admits to being high. As concerns over deepfakes have grown over the years, China is the first country to introduce regulations around this AI technology.

Why Have Your Reporters Backs When You can Throw Them Under The Bus

 

Great to see media companies stand up for their journalists in the midst of pretty obvious censorship on Twitter.
Oh, wait. NBC suspended Ben Collins for accurately characterizing the guy censoring journalists. https://t.co/VH0p82D53h pic.twitter.com/9JY4AHE78s

— Don Moynihan (@donmoyn) December 16, 2022

Twitter suspends journalists who have been covering Elon Musk and the company

 Thursday's suspensions come as Musk has backtracked on his promise that he Thursday's suspensions come as Musk has backtracked on his promise that he would run Twitter as a free speech absolutist could run Twitter as a free speech absolutist.

Twitter suspended several high-profile journalists Thursday evening who have been covering the company and Elon Musk.

The suspensions come a day after Twitter changed its policies around accounts that track private jets, including one owned by Elon Musk.

The accounts of Ryan Mac of The New York Times, Donie O'Sullivan of CNN, Drew Harwell of The Washington Post, Matt Binder of Mashable, Micah Lee of The Intercept and independent journalists Aaron Rupar and Tony Webster had all been suspended as of Thursday evening.

From Rolling Stone

Twitter on Thursday afternoon, adding onto an already controversial week of content moderation decisions by new platform owner Elon Musk. 

New York Times reporter Ryan Mac, The Washington Post’s Drew Harwell, Mashable’s Matt Binder, CNN reporter Donie O’Sullivan, and independent journalist Aaron Rupar were removed from the platform in a late afternoon purge. The removed accounts shared a common thread of critical coverage of Musk and his management and policy decisions following his October takeover of Twitter. 

Also removed from twitter was an account run by freelance journalist Tony Webster, who shared on Mastodon, that he was booted from his account with no warning. “My Twitter account has been suspended,” he wrote with a screenshot of his suspended account. “I’ve received no explanation.”

From The New York Times:

The social media service, which is owned by Elon Musk, said the accounts were suspended for “violating the Twitter rules” but did not provide details.

Twitter suspended the accounts of roughly half a dozen journalists on Thursday, the latest change by the social media service under its new owner, Elon Musk.

The accounts suspended included Ryan Mac of The New York Times; Drew Harwell of The Washington Post; Aaron Rupar, an independent journalist; Donie O’Sullivan of CNN; Matt Binder of Mashable; Tony Webster, an independent journalist; and the political journalist Keith Olbermann. It was unclear what the suspensions had in common; each user’s Twitter page included a message that said it was suspended for “violating the Twitter rules.”

Sahil Kapur

@sahilkapur

Just tried to post a link to my Mastadon account and Twitter blocked my tweet as “harmful”

Move fast and break things: Musk shakes up Twitter

 

Elon Musk’s radical changes at Twitter – breaking rules, laying off staff. How will it end? Plus, exhausting and depressing: the work of climate journalists.

It has been less than a month since Elon Musk took over Twitter – and things do not seem to be going well for “social media’s public square”. With thousands of employees laid off and advertisers pulling money from the platform, many wonder what will be left of Twitter by the time Musk is done?

Elon Musk: Twitter warrior, satellite supremo … diplomat?

 

Elon Musk has his fingers in many pies – internet in warzones, a Twitter buyout, and peacemaker posturing. Plus, the UK media vs the labour movement.

Not content with manufacturing cars, generating energy, getting into space travel – Elon Musk is in the midst of a $44bn takeover of Twitter. Now he has also been involved in foreign policy conflicts – from Russia-Ukraine to China and Taiwan. Musk clearly considers himself a geopolitical player, but he is entering a world in which he has no expertise, just interests.

Dear Elon, Please SHUT UP About China

 

Musk’s #TwitterTakeover: What next for the ‘digital town square’?

 

One of the world’s richest men and ‘free speech absolutist’ Musk acquires Twitter, prompting debates over the future of the platform. Plus, Mexican journalists in peril.

Elon Musk is closing in on buying Twitter for $44bn, taking control of a platform where everyone seems angry about something. It is not yet clear if the billionaire knows just what he is getting into.

Elon Musk buys Twitter for China - The Controversy Explained

Should you be worried? Elon Musk has for years been ingratiating himself with the Chinese government, will this have an influence on Twitter's freedom of speech?

 Telsa has a factory in Xiajian despite the human rights abuse. 

What will Twitter’s future look like under Elon Musk?

 

The billionaire entrepreneur and founder of Space X has finally managed to take control of the platform.

Free speech is the bedrock of a functioning democracy, and Twitter its digital town square.

These are the words of the world’s richest man – and now the owner of that town square.

How billionaires pay less tax than you

 Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and other billionaires employ special strategies to avoid paying income tax, say experts.

The 'Buy Borrow Die' mantra is a common practice among many of the ultra-wealthy.

Elon Musk opens controversial Tesla factory near Berlin

The electric car maker Tesla is set to open its first European factory in the coming weeks. The company has thrown a party to unveil its new plant just outside Berlin – but it's not without controversy. Environmental concerns mean its construction has not yet been given final approval – but that hasn't deterred Tesla founder Elon Musk.