Since launching in 2006, Twitter has buzzed with the news of the day, so it’sno surprise that the social media company itself has been a big topic as oflate.
This follows Elon Musk completing of his $44 billion purchase of the companyin the final days of October, which was accompanied by changes in leadershipand policies. TheCEO of Tesla and SpaceX made an offer to buy Twitter in April, saying that hewanted to promote free speech and end Twitter’s permanent ban on some users.
Once he had taken over, Musk laid off thousands, attempted to implement asubscription system and announced plans to create a “content moderationcouncil” on thesocial network. He also ran a poll asking if former President DonaldTrump shouldbe allowed to return — he’d been banned for inciting violence in the Jan. 6attack on the capitol — and eventually reinstated him.
Musk noted early on in his tenure that rapper Kanye West’s account had been”restored by Twitter before the acquisition” and without his knowledge. West,also known as Ye, reportedly had been locked out in October after he madeantisemitic comments, which the site blocked after they had been seen. Westwas back to tweeting by Nov. 2, although he was suspended again in earlyDecember after he posted an anti-Semitic message found to incite violence.
Following Musk’s takeover, dozens more employees left the company in the wakeof his demands for them to work harder with a smaller staff. As #RIPTwitterbegan trending, some familiar faces — or at least familiar names — declaredtheir intention to leave or take a break from the platform.
Elton John announced his departure Dec. 9.
“All my life I’ve tried to use music to bring people together,” the singer andactivist wrote. “Yet it saddens me to see how misinformation is now being usedto divide our world. I’ve decided to no longer use Twitter, given their recentchange in policy which will allow misinformation to flourish unchecked.”
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Rapper Meek Mill joined John in signing off, because there were “too many botsand weird people.” He reportedly announced Dec. 18 that he would deactivatehis account and instead post to YouTube and hope for a new social media appwhere there are “more good vibes.”
Actress Jameela Jamil predicted in April that she would depart, becauseTwitter would become “a lawaless space of bigotry, misogyny and xenophobia,”and she actually did stop sending posts in October.
On Nov. 29, actor Jim Carrey said goodbye with a cartoon based on his paintingof “a crazy old Lighthouse Keeper, standing naked in a storm, summoning theangels and shining his lamp to guide us through a treacherous night.”
Nine Inch Nails frontman-turned-Oscar-winning composer Trent Reznor said in aNov. 19 interviews with the Hollywood Reporter that he was leaving.
“I’m about to depart. We don’t need the arrogance of the billionaire class tofeel like they can just come in and solve everything. Even without himinvolved, I just find that it has become such a toxic environment,” he said.”For my mental health, I need to tune out. I don’t feel good being thereanymore.”
Musk tweeted that Reznor was a “crybaby,” but he actually did leave.
Rocker Jack White was out after Trump was back in. “Absolutely disgusting,Elon,” he tweeted.
The account that belonged to Musk’s ex Amber Heard, @RealAmberHeard,disappeared altogether.
Another actress, Whoopi Goldberg, said Nov. 7 on The View that she waslogging off. And she did.
“I’m getting off today because I just feel like it’s so messy, and I’m tiredof now having certain kinds of attitudes blocked now getting back on,”Goldberg said. “So I’m gonna get out, and if it settles down enough and I feelmore comfortable, maybe I’ll come back. But as of tonight, I’m done withTwitter.”
Gigi Hadid took to her Instagram Stories to explain that she had deactivatedher Twitter account. “Especially with its new leadership, it’s becoming moreand more of a cesspool of hate & bigotry,” she wrote, according to CBS. Shesaid she’s connected with many fans on the site and wants to be part of it,however, “I can’t say it’s a safe place for anyone, no a social platform thatwill do more good than harm.”
Earlier, musicians Toni Braxton and Sara Bareilles, as well as producer ShondaRhimes, had said they were out of there.
Braxton noted that she was “shocked and appalled” at the “free speech” she wasseeing after Musk’s arrival.
“Hate speech under the veil of ‘free speech’ is unacceptable; therefore I amchoosing to stay off Twitter as it is no longer a safe space for myself, mysons and other POC,” she tweeted.
Singer Liz Phair deactivated her account Nov. 11.
Those celebs weren’t the only ones.
Actress Téa Leoni appeared to have deleted her account. According to NBC News,she last tweeted Oct. 29: “Hi everyone. I’m coming off Twitter today — let’ssee where we are when the dust settles. Today the dust has revealed too muchhate, too much in the wrong direction. Love, kindness, and possibilities forall of you .”
Bill & Ted _star Alex Winter, _This Is Us executive producer Ken Olin and_Billions_ showrunner Brian Koppelman also made it clear that they’re leavingthe Twitterverse.
Winter’s bio was changed to, “Not here for now,” and his posts were deleted.Per The Hollywood Reporter at one time, he posted only a meme of Musk, Trumpand Ye (aka Kanye West) as the Three Musketeers.
Olin announced, “I’m out of here” on Oct. 28, note, “Let’s protect ourdemocracy.”
As for Koppelman, he tweeted, according to THR “Y’all’s, for real, come findme over on instagram and the tok. Gonna really try to take a breather fromhere for a minute or a month come deal close time.”
Disney star Josh Gad explained that he wasn’t sure if he would stay or not.
“Leaning towards staying,” the Frozen star posted, “but if today is a signof things to come, not sure what the point is. Freedom of speech is great.Hate speech intended to cite harm, (with no consequences) ain’t what I signedup for.”
He retweeted a press release announcing that 40 civil-society groups weredemanding that Twitter’s top advertisers stop supporting the site “if ElonMusk continues to undermine brand and user safety.”