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“Fix your companies. Or Congress will”: A Dem senator attacks Elon Musk on Twitter, Musk fires back

Elon Musk responds to a Democratic Senator who sent a letter requesting information on verification badges.

After the Washington Post pretended to be Senator Ed Markey on Twitter, Senator Ed Markey (D-Massachusetts) addressed a cautionary message to Elon Musk.

Markey granted the Washington Post permission to try to mimic him on the social media site, and when they were successful, he addressed Musk about the false account, warning the new Twitter owner that “Congress will” until Musk “fixes” his businesses.

“A @washingtonpost reporter was able to construct a verified account mimicking me—I’m calling for answers from @elonmusk who is putting profits over people and his debt above fighting misinformation,” Markey tweeted on Friday. Twitter has to provide an explanation of what occurred and how to stop it from occurring again.
Markey tweeted a copy of a letter he addressed to Musk asking for information on how Twitter validates accounts now that Musk is in control of the service and if the service broke any rules regarding account verification.

After Musk gained control of Twitter and introduced a new program called “Twitter Blue” that permits users to receive a verification checkmark for an $8 monthly membership, Markey tweeted and wrote about the issue.

Twitter has opened and closed verification periods in the past. Before, persons requesting verification had to provide identification and proof that they are well-known public personalities, and Twitter would decide whether or not they merited verification.

Buzzfeed reported that due to alleged breaches of Twitter policies, Twitter has also taken away the verification marks from a number of contentious prominent personalities.

The Washington Post said that before assuming Markey’s identity, it received Markey’s OK. By only subscribing to Twitter Blue, the publisher was able to establish a verified account that was quite similar to Markey’s.

Markey complained about the bogus account in an original Tweet and letter, and Musk responded by suggesting that “maybe” the false account was verified because “your genuine accounts seem like a parody.”

In response, Markey tweeted: “One of your businesses is subject to an FTC consent agreement. The NHTSA, which monitors auto safety, is looking into another for causing deaths. And you spend your time online picking battles. Fix your businesses. Congress will instead.

Since 2011, Twitter has been subject to an FTC consent order. In May of this year, Twitter also consented to a $150 million settlement with the FTC for false claims about the security and privacy of user data. Before Musk bought the social media company last month, the FTC took such regulatory proceedings.

In August 2021, the NHTSA launched a preliminary inquiry against Musk’s Tesla Motors.

According to the safety watchdog, the probe was “driven by a cluster of incidents in which Tesla cars, driving with Autopilot enabled, collided parked in-road or roadside first responder vehicles responding to pre-existing collision sites.”

In July of this year, the NHTSA probe was broadened to include a more thorough engineering review.

Since taking over Twitter, Musk has proposed a number of changes, including moving to a subscription-based verification system and reworking Twitter’s advertising to be more personalized for users.

Following the launch of Twitter Blue, several individuals have established phony accounts with verification marks and used them to impersonate well-known people and organizations.

Due to the abundance of bogus accounts, Twitter temporarily suspended this new user verification method over the weekend.

When asked on Saturday about the resumption of Twitter Blue, Musk said, “Probably end of next week.”

Source: Americanmilitarynews

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Written by Alex Bruno

Alex is a writer with a passion for space exploration and a penchant for satirical commentary. He has written extensively on the latest discoveries in astronomy and astrophysics, as well as the ongoing efforts to explore our solar system and beyond. In addition to his space-related work, Alex is also known for his satirical writing, which often takes a humorous and irreverent look at contemporary issues and events. His unique blend of science and humor has earned him a dedicated following and numerous accolades. When he's not writing, Alex can often be found stargazing with his telescope or honing his comedic skills at local open mic nights.

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