Imitation is said to be the sincerest form of flattery — although Twitter owner Elon Musk may not see it that way.
The comedian Kathy Griffin, YouTube personality Ethan Klein and “Mad Men” actor Rich Sommer each say their Twitter accounts were suspended over the weekend after they impersonated Musk, changing their display names and profile photos to match those of the billionaire.
The decisions to lock all three out of their Twitter accounts come as Musk, a self-proclaimed “free speech absolutist,” is attracting intense scrutiny for how he handles speech issues on the platform. He has pledged to make the service a destination for accurate information, but has also suggested he may loosen the platform’s rules.
[I don’t think that attempts to defraud qualify as “free speech,” but YMMV. Besides, Musk has repeatedly stated that Twitter will maintain some moderation practices and standards, and thus far has not yet changed anything from the previous regime. So why is this even an argument? — Ed]
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