FACT CHECK: Did Twitter Suspend Elon Musk’s Account?
An image shared on Facebook claims Twitter suspended the account of Tesla CEO Elon Musk.
Verdict: False
Twitter did not suspend Musk’s verified account. Rather, the platform suspended an account attempting to impersonate him.
Fact Check:
Musk notified Twitter July 8 that he would be ending his $44 billion takeover deal, citing Twitter’s alleged failure to comply with obligations set in the agreement, according to CNBC. The social media platform has vowed legal action to enforce the deal, Reuters reported.
An image shared on Facebook claims Twitter has since suspended Musk’s Twitter account from the platform. The image includes what appears to be a screen grab of Musk’s suspended account. The claim also went viral on Twitter, with at least one tweet receiving over 18,000 retweets and 146,000 likes.
Elon Musk: “I’m terminating my deal to buy Twitter.”
Twitter to @eIonmusk pic.twitter.com/TcMLs7WcrO
— High Yield Harry (@HighyieldHarry) July 9, 2022
Musk’s Twitter account has not been suspended, however. His verified account remains active and has tweeted several times since the rumor of his suspension went viral on social media. One of his most recent tweets was aimed at Twitter’s legal action against him.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 11, 2022
There are no credible news reports suggesting that Twitter has taken any action against Musk’s account. (RELATED: Did Elon Musk Call Donald Trump A ‘Dumbass’ On Twitter?)
The account featured in the image appears to have substituted an “I” for the “l” in Musk’s username to trick others into believing the account was owned by the billionaire. Twitter has a rule against accounts impersonating “individuals, groups, or organizations to mislead, confuse, or deceive others.”
Check Your Fact has reached out to Twitter for comment and will update this article if a response is provided.
