United States: The United Nations (UN) and the European Union (EU) have condemned Twitter’s decision to suspend several journalists covering the social media platform and its new owner Elon Musk.
Journalists from major news companies such as the New York Times, CNN, and the Washington Post were among those whose accounts were locked.
The UN posted in Twitter that media freedom is “not a toy” while the EU threatened the company with sanctions.
Ms. Melissa Fleming, the UN’s under secretary general for global communications, stated that she was “deeply disturbed” by reports that journalists were being “arbitrarily” suspended from the social media platform.
Media freedom is not a toy. A free press is the cornerstone of democratic societies and a key tool in the fight against harmful disinformation.
Ms. Melissa Fleming remarked.
Earlier, Ms. Věra Jourová, the European Commission vice-president for values and transparency, has warned Mr. Musk that Twitter could soon face sanctions under new EU regulations.
Ms. Jourova commented that “Elon Musk should be aware of that. There are red lines. And sanctions, soon.”
Mr. Musk has also tweeted regarding the suspension that “criticising me all day long is totally fine, but doxxing my real-time location and endangering my family is not”.
The tech tycoon later held a poll asking whether he should unsuspend the accounts “now” or “in seven days,” suggesting the decision could be reversed sooner rather than later.
The Twitter owner accused journalists who own the suspended accounts of sharing private information about his whereabouts, which he described as “basically assassination coordinates.”