New Twitter owner Elon Musk talks about SpaceX on August 25 in Boca Chica Beach, Texas. (Photo: Michael Gonzalez/Getty Images)
Since launching in 2006, Twitter has been packed with the news of the day, so it’s no surprise that the social media company itself has been a hot topic of late.
This follows Elon Musk, who completed his $44 billion purchase of the company in the last few days of October, which was accompanied by leadership changes guidelines. The CEO of Tesla and SpaceX made an offer to buy Twitter in April, saying he wants to promote freedom of expression and end the permanent ban on Twitter for some users.
After his acquisition, Musk laid off thousands, tried to implement a subscription system and announced plans to do so Create a “Content Moderation Council”.“ in the social network. He also conducted a survey asking if former President Donald Trump should have been allowed to return – he had been banned for inciting violence in the January 6 attack on the capital – and eventually reinstated him.
Musk noted early in his tenure that rapper Kanye West’s account had been restored “by pre-acquisition Twitter” and without his knowledge. West, also known as Ye, was reportedly banned in October after making anti-Semitic comments, which the website blocked after being seen. On November 2, West tweeted again, although he was suspended again in early December after posting an anti-Semitic message that was found to incite violence.
After Musk was acquired, dozens more employees left the company after he demanded they work harder with fewer employees. As #RIPTwitter started trending, a few familiar faces – or at least familiar names – declared their intention to leave the platform or take a break.
Elton John announced his departure on December 9th.
“All my life I’ve tried to use music to bring people together,” the singer and activist wrote. “Nevertheless, it saddens me to see how misinformation is now being used to divide our world. I have decided to stop using Twitter in light of the recent policy change that will allow misinformation to thrive unhindered.”
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Rapper Meek Mill joined John in unsubscribing because there were “too many bots and weird people.” He reportedly announced on Dec. 18 that he would deactivate his account and instead post on YouTube, hoping for a new social media app where there would be “more good vibes.”
Actress Jameela Jamil predicted in April she was leaving because Twitter would become “a lawless space of bigotry, misogyny and xenophobia,” and indeed she stopped posting in October.
On November 29, actor Jim Carrey bid farewell with a cartoon depicting his painting of “a mad old lighthouse keeper standing naked in a storm, summoning the angels and lighting his lamp to guide us through a treacherous night.” said goodbye
Nine Inch Nails-turned-Oscar-winning frontman Trent Reznor said he was leaving in an interview with the Hollywood Reporter on Nov. 19.
“I’m about to leave. We don’t need the arrogance of the billionaire class to feel like they can just come in and fix it all. Even without his involvement, I feel like it’s become such a toxic environment,” he said. “I need to switch off for my sanity. I don’t feel good anymore when I’m there.”
Musk tweeted that Reznor was a “crybaby,” but he actually left.
Rocker Jack White was out after Trump was back in. “Absolutely disgusting Elon,” he tweeted.
Musk’s ex Amber Heard’s account, @RealAmberHeard, disappeared entirely.
Another actress, Whoopi Goldberg, told The View on November 7 that she was opting out. And she did.
“I’m getting off today because I feel like it’s so messy and I’m tired of certain types of settings being blocked now to get back on now,” Goldberg said. “So I’m going to get out, and when it’s settled enough and I’m more comfortable, maybe I’ll come back. But as of tonight, I’m done with Twitter.”
Gigi Hadid explained in her Instagram Stories that she deactivated her Twitter account. “Especially with his new leadership, it’s becoming more and more of a cesspool of hate and bigotry,” she wrote, according to CBS. She said she’s connected to a lot of fans on the site and wants to be a part of it, but “I can’t say it’s a safe place for anyone, nor a social platform, which does more good than harm.”
Earlier, musicians Toni Braxton and Sara Bareilles and producer Shonda Rhimes said they were out there.
Braxton noted that she was “shocked and appalled” by the “free speech” she saw following Musk’s arrival.
“Hate speech under the veil of ‘freedom of speech’ is unacceptable; so i choose to stay away from twitter as it is no longer a safe place for me, my sons and other POC,” she tweeted.
Singer Liz Phair deactivated her account on November 11th.
These celebs weren’t the only ones.
Actress Tea Leoni apparently deleted her account. According to NBC News, she last tweeted on Oct. 29: “Hello everyone. Coming from Twitter today – let’s see where we are when the dust settles. Today the dust revealed too much hatred, too much in the wrong direction. Love, kindness and opportunities for you all.”
Bill & Ted star Alex Winter, This Is Us executive producer Ken Olin and Billions showrunner Brian Koppelman also made it clear they are leaving the Twitterverse.
Winter’s bio was changed to “Not here at the moment” and his posts were deleted. Per The Hollywood Reporter, he once just posted a meme of Musk, Trump, and Ye (aka Kanye West) as the Three Musketeers.
Olin announced on October 28, “I’m out of here,” noting, “Let’s protect our democracy.”
As for Koppelman, he tweeted, according to THR, “You all really come and find me on Instagram and the tok. I’ll really try to take a breather from here for a minute or a month when the deal is finalized.”
Disney star Josh Gad said he wasn’t sure if he was staying or not.
“I tend to stay,” the Frozen star wrote, “but if today is any sign of what’s to come, I’m not sure what the point is.” Free speech is great. Hate speech is meant to quote harm (without consequences) t what I signed up for.”
He retweeted a press release announcing that 40 civil society groups are demanding that Twitter’s top advertisers stop supporting the site “if Elon Musk continues to undermine brand and user safety.”