WOMEN’S MARCH WARNS OF FUTURE FOR TWITTER—AND DEMOCRACY—WITH ELON MUSK AT THE COMPANY’S HELM

Amarillo, TX — In response to the news that Elon Musk will be buying Twitter, Women’s March Executive Director Rachel O’Leary Carmona has released the following statement:

“How is it that Elon Musk pays no taxes, yet has enough extra money laying around to buy one of the world’s biggest social media networks? Not a penny of his billions of dollars has been spent on enhancing the public good this year—and now, he’s going to find himself in a position to do even less with the biggest platform imaginable.

“What’s worse, he’s already indicated that there is no red line for him. No matter how racist, sexist, anti-semitic, homophobic, or flat-out false a tweet is, Elon Musk thinks it should stay. That isn’t just dangerous for the people who are targeted—it would make Twitter a more dangerous place for all of us. If this deal goes through, Donald Trump and his insurrectionist minions may very well be replatformed. And the community standards that make the platform (somewhat, but still entirely inadequately) safe may very well be tossed out. 

“If Elon Musk isn’t willing to be the leader that Twitter, as one of the country’s largest online forums, requires, then the company’s board and employees should speak out until he does. If not, Twitter as we know it will change forever—and our democracy might along with it.”