Biden says Twitter 'spews lies' across world

"Elon Musk goes out and buys an outfit that sends — that spews lies all across the world…" says US President Biden at a fundraiser.

President Biden had been clear about the need to reduce hate speech and misinformation, says White House.
Reuters Archive

President Biden had been clear about the need to reduce hate speech and misinformation, says White House.

US President Joe Biden has said that Elon Musk had purchased a social media platform in Twitter that spews lies across the world.

"And now what are we all worried about: Elon Musk goes out and buys an outfit that sends — that spews lies all across the world…." the US president said at a fundraiser.

"There's no editors anymore in America. There's no editors. How do we expect kids to be able to understand what is at stake?"

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters earlier that Biden had been clear about the need to reduce hate speech and misinformation.

"That belief extends to Twitter, it extends to Facebook and any other social media platforms where users can spread misinformation," she said.

But major advertisers have expressed apprehension about his takeover for months. 

Earlier on Friday, Twitter sacked half of its 7,500-strong staff as Musk launched his major overhaul of the troubled company just a week after his blockbuster takeover.

"Regarding Twitter's reduction in force, unfortunately, there is no choice when the company is losing over $4M/day," Musk tweeted in his first comment on the subject, 24 hours after the company's initial email notifying employees of forthcoming layoffs. 

READ MORE: Elon Musk sacks half of Twitter's 7,500-strong staff

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'Erratic billionaire'

The mercurial tycoon on Friday complained on Twitter of a "massive drop in revenue" that he blamed on "activist groups" that were pressuring advertisers.

"We did everything we could to appease the activists. Extremely messed up! They're trying to destroy free speech in America," he added.

This appeared to refer to Musk's recent meeting with civil rights groups in which he heard concerns that Twitter would open the floodgates to hate speech a week before the midterm elections in the United States.

In an effort to soothe nerves, Musk had vowed that Twitter will not become a "free-for-all hellscape," but since taking over the company he also has shared a tweet relaying a conspiracy theory about an assault on the husband of US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

"We are witnessing the real-time destruction of one of the world's most powerful communication systems. Elon Musk is an erratic billionaire who is dangerously unqualified to run this platform," said Nicole Gill, Executive Director of Accountable Tech.

READ MORE: Elon Musk takes over Twitter, sacks top executives

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