A dozen advocacy groups banded together to voice their opposition to Elon Musk’s proposed deal to buy Twitter by launching a campaign that asserted he would roll back the social media platform’s basic safeguards against hate, harassment and harmful disinformation.
The Stop the Deal campaign stated the billionaire’s ownership of Twitter would provide a megaphone for “extremists who traffic in white nationalism, hate, disinformation, and harassment—further endangering marginalised communities.”
The campaign’s website also warned that Musk’s ownership of Twitter “would reinstate Twitter accounts of public figures who were banned for inciting violence and spreading dangerous disinformation,” but didn’t mention former President Donald Trump by name.
“Our safety and democracy should not be at the whim of unaccountable billionaires – whether it’s Elon Musk or anyone else. We cannot allow Elon Musk to own such a large part of our information ecosystem.”
The campaign website included a call-to-action tweet that stated advertisers such as Coca Cola and Kraft should discontinue their advertising on Twitter if Musk doesn’t #StopTheDeal.
The campaign counts non-profit advocacy groups such as MoveOn, Accountable Tech, Friends of the Earth, Center for Countering Digital Hate, GLAAD and MediaJustice as some of its members.
The Stop the Deal campaign was the latest salvo in an ongoing war to block Musk’s $44 billion deal to buy Twitter.
Last month investors announced a lawsuit against Musk and Twitter over the handling of his proposed takeover of the social media company. That lawsuit accused the billionaire of violating corporate laws, market manipulation and wrongful conduct.
