In the wake of NPR indefinitely quitting Twitter after being labeled “state-affiliated media,” Elon Musk has threatened to transfer NPR’s main Twitter account, @NPR, to another organization or person. On Tuesday, Musk emailed NPR reporter Bobby Allyn, “So is NPR going to start posting on Twitter again, or should we reassign @NPR to another company?”
Musk later emailed again, “Our policy is to recycle handles that are definitively dormant,” Musk wrote in another email. “Same policy applies to all accounts. No special treatment for NPR.” While it is Twitter policy to consider accounts dormant after more than 30 days without use, some consider the move unexpected and causing further damage to the company’s reputation.
The threat to reassign NPR’s Twitter account is in line with Musk’s impulsive leadership style, but it remains uncertain whether he will follow through. NPR hasn’t given any official statement on the matter, outside of Allyn’s article talking about the emails.
Musk did give one final statement in an email to Allyn after the initial article was published. The message? “You suck.”
‘But it will be on Musk’s terms.’
Or they could do what Trump did when he was banned, and that’s sue them. Previous management was called out for selective enforcement of its rules, and that’s the same case here. So if you didn’t like previous ownership, there’s really no improvement in the new ownership. Or as the song goes: ‘Meet the new boss. Same as the old boss.’
For the most part, I like Musk. NPR either needs to leave Twitter, or stay ono Twitter, it is up to them. But it will be on Musk’s terms.