It doesn’t seem that long ago that Twitter decided to ban a sitting U.S. President and the media collectively cheered.
Now, however, it would appear that the cancellers don’t like being cancelled.
The same media are beside themselves with fury and despair after Elon Musk, or strictly speaking, Twitter, banned journalists from the platform without warning. Amongst those banned was Ryan Mac of the New York Times and Irish journalist, Donie O’Sullivan, who works for CNN.
Musk, who says he’s a “free speech absolutist”, said that when he took over Twitter in an eye-watering 44 Billion dollar deal he wanted to restore free speech to the platform, which was widely viewed as being in thrall to cancel culture.
Amongst those banned prior to the Musk takeover were commentators who aggrieved transgender activists, including the writer Graham Linehan whose criticisms of extremism amongst transgender activists was later proven to be well-founded.
Twitter says that they banned journalists yesterday because of the platform’s stance on ‘doxxing’ – sharing personal information including the address or whereabouts of another person. Musk pointedly tweeted that rules banning the publishing of personal information applied to all, including journalists.
“Same doxxing rules apply to ‘journalists’ as to everyone else,” he said.
Musk seems to have taken serious issue with an account called @elonjet, an account tracking the billionaire’s private jet in real time – claiming that his son had been mistakenly followed by a “crazy stalker” who attacked his car.
That may be his motivation, although it might easily be that he believes these journalists are unfair to him and is flexing his muscle, well, because he can.
He’s exercising control in the way that Twitter pre-Musk shut the New York Post’s story down, right before the 2020 Presidential election, when the paper discovered that Hunter Biden was a horrible creep, using prostitutes and coke while arranging dodgy deals. The Post was also vindicated, but the election was over by then.
So when the New York Times cries foul and says the “impulsive and unjustified suspension of a number of reporters… is concerning but not surprising”, it’s a little hard to take them seriously.
And when Donie O’Sullivan tells CNN about “the potential chilling impact” Twitter’s move could have for journalists, you’d be forgiven for asking why all the Irish media outlets rushing to cover his concerns have ignored the new legislation being proposed by Minister Helen McEntee which is an attack on free speech in this country.
It’s fair to say that many journalists have no issue with cancel culture, once the right people are being cancelled: people with unprogressive opinions, people who don’t keep up with the ever-changing demands of woke diktats which are sometimes as changeable as the Irish weather, but whose acolytes are utterly ruthless at implementing.
So when the editor of the Philadelphia Inquirer, was forced out of his job for agreeing to publish an article about damage to architecture under the headline, ‘Building Matter Too’ there was a collective shrug from his fellow journalists. He had breached the code.
Fire him, destroy him. Show everyone what happens when you step out of line, even the tiniest bit.
Around the same time, James Bennet, an editor at the New York Times, was made to resign because he published an opinion piece written by Senator Tom Cotton arguing that the army be used to restore order when riots got out of control. It didn’t matter that Bennet didn’t share that opinion, or that a major national newspaper should be able to publish the view of a sitting senior politician, even if readers took offense. Bennet was cancelled.
The paper issued a grovelling apology, clearly not remembering the wisdom imparted by mothers to every child of the folly of giving in to bullies.
There are many more examples, and many examples of journalists who kept quiet or even loudly supported cancel culture and a suppression of free speech. Here in Ireland, we had senior columnists arguing that one side should not be heard in a national referendum, and our taxpayer-funded TV station is committed to only giving voice to one view in the climate debate.
On issues like abortion or the Tavistock clinic, the Irish media censors any concerns or opposing views by simply ignoring them, all the time, no matter what developments happen or tragic outcomes occur.
So spare me, please, the wailing and gnashing of teeth because, for once, the bullies are now not in the driving seat.
EU commissioner Vera Jourova has warned Musk that the EU’s Digital Services Act requires respect of media freedom.”Elon Musk should be aware of that. There are red lines. And sanctions, soon,” she thundered.
But I doubt Musk is intimidated. He’s rich enough and eccentric enough to do what he likes. And, for once, he seems to be someone who questions the progressive orthodoxy.
There were many commentators, including Gript Editor, John McGuirk who saw the humour or the irony, in the situation.
Everyone wanted @elonmusk to take a strong stance on fake news and so he banned a bunch of CNN reporters. Which is the biggest strike against fake news made by anyone in years, honestly.
— John McGuirk (@john_mcguirk) December 16, 2022
Even in the worst case scenario that Musk is turning Twitter on its head and pursuing the left with the same rigour they targeted the right on social media, which he isn’t, it speaks volumes about the blue check marks who were fine with it now freaking out about temporary bans.
— Robert Burke (@robertburke84) December 16, 2022
I’m not sure I agree that Musk was right to ban journalists. But I have to say it is vaguely amusing to see the right people losing their minds about Musk’s ability to shut people down – something most of those who are complaining never had a problem with before.