UN warns Musk is setting a ‘dangerous precedent’ by suspending journalists from platforms

The United Nations has accused Twitter CEO Elon Musk of banning several journalists he accused of trying to expose himself from the platform, setting a “dangerous precedent” for free speech. ‘, he said.

UN spokesman Stéphane Dujarric said on Twitter that the company was closely monitoring the situation and was in contact with officials at the company.

“Media voices should not be silenced on platforms that profess to be free speech arenas,” Dujarric said. “From our perspective, the move sets a dangerous precedent in an era when journalists around the world face physical threats and worse.”

Dujarric also warned of an increase in hate speech and disinformation on climate change and other topics on Twitter.

Musk has suspended the accounts of several reporters from The New York Times, Washington Post, CNN and other news outlets, accusing them of sharing personal information about his whereabouts.

Tesla executives lifted the suspension on Friday night, with polls favoring an immediate reopening over a seven-day ban Mr Musk said was being put in place for the “docking” attempt.

The Post’s executive editor, Sally Busby, said technology reporter Drew Harwell was “banished without warning, process, or explanation.”

CNN said reporter Donnie O’Sullivan’s suspension was “unjustified” and “concerning, but not surprising.”

In response to the outrage and the bank favors, Mr. Musk declared, “People have spoken.”

The tech lead also sent out a tweet on Friday, mocking journalists outraged by First Amendment violations.