One of the reasons Elon Musk bought Twitter was to end alleged censorship on the platform. Now, however, more and more bans are hailing. After a number of journalist accounts were blocked, users are no longer allowed to share links to competing platforms.
In the future, Twitter will prohibit its users from posting links to competing online platforms. "All free advertising" for certain other networks will be removed from posts and user accounts, said the company of high-tech multi-billionaire Elon Musk. The ban applies to links to Facebook, Instagram, Mastodon and Truth Social, among others. Violators face the temporary suspension of their Twitter accounts.
The affected network Truth Social belongs to former US President Donald Trump. Trump was banned from Twitter after his supporters stormed the Capitol in Washington on January 6, 2021, but his account was recently unblocked.
The latest link ban on Twitter is one of several innovations, some of which are highly controversial, since the takeover of the online service for 44 billion dollars (around 41 billion euros) by Tesla boss Musk this year.
Musk recently came under criticism after several journalists were blocked from Twitter, including employees of the New York Times, the Washington Post and the broadcaster CNN. The United Nations is deeply concerned about the development of the online network under its new owner. Reporters should not be silenced by the arbitrary suspension of accounts on a platform that purports to be a space for free speech, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in New York. The Foreign Office also tweeted: "Freedom of the press must not be switched on and off at will."
The multi-billionaire likes to present himself as a pioneer in the fight for freedom of speech. One of the reasons why Musk bought Twitter was that alleged censorship on the platform had to be ended.
