Biden calls out Elon Musk and Twitter at fundraiser in Chicago area
SME —
President Joe Biden on Friday referred to as out Elon Musk, saying the billionaire had bought a social media platform that “spews lies all across the world.”
“Elon Musk goes out and buys an outfit that spews lies all across the world,” the president mentioned at a Democratic fundraiser in Rosemont, Illinois, simply outdoors of Chicago, in line with the pool.
“There’s no editors anymore in America,” he added.
The president’s remarks adopted information Friday that Twitter had laid off 1000’s of workers throughout the corporate – a extreme spherical of value reducing that might doubtlessly upend how one of many world’s most influential platforms operates one week after it was acquired by Musk.
Rapidly following the acquisition, experiences emerged of a rise in hate-filled feedback and posts on Twitter. Many main advertisers stopped Twitter campaigns just lately.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre instructed reporters earlier Friday that Biden has been “outspoken about the importance of social media platforms continuing to take steps to reduce hate speech and misinformation.”
“That belief extends to Twitter, it extends to Facebook and any other social media platforms where users can spread misinformation,” she continued.
Shortly earlier than information of his acquisition broke final week, Musk wrote an open letter making an attempt to reassure advertisers that he doesn’t need the social community to grow to be a “free-for-all hellscape.”
He tweeted Friday morning that Twitter has seen a “massive drop in revenue,” which he blamed on “activist groups pressuring advertisers,” and later addressed the layoffs tweeting that “unfortunately there is no choice when the company is losing over $4M/day.”
Three months of severance was provided to departing workers, he mentioned.