Twitter boss Elon Musk attacks Apple
Elon Musk vented his anger at Apple in a veritable tirade.
Among other things, the group stopped its advertising on Twitter.
Since the takeover of Twitter, the new owner Elon Musk has been using the platform to fuel new controversies: Musk has now attacked the tech company Apple in a series of tweets. First, the billionaire asked if Apple hated free speech in America – since the company had largely stopped advertising on Twitter. He then claimed that Apple threatened to remove the Twitter app from the App Store without giving any reason.
“What’s going on here, Tim Cook?” Musk addressed the company boss in one of his tweets. When asked by a user whether Apple was threatening Twitter’s availability in the App Store or making demands for content moderation, Musk replied “yes.” Apple initially did not respond to Musk’s tweets.
100 major advertising partners have apparently suspended ads
According to the independent organization Media Matters, half of the top 100 advertising partners have now suspended or “apparently suspended” their ads on the network because of concerns about the development. In particular, the question is how Twitter will proceed against hate messages and the spread of false news in the future.
Musk bought Twitter for around $44 billion at the end of October and has been pushing through his ideas with the online service ever since. This includes the fact that, in his view, Twitter has restricted freedom of speech too much in recent years. In recent years, Twitter has acted more and more consistently against hate speech, calls for violence and incorrect information about the corona virus. Musk also unlocked several right-wing accounts that had been blocked for homophobic and racist statements, among other things. He also recently had Donald Trump’s suspended Twitter account reinstated.
Conflict with Apple has been brewing for some time
Musk’s allegations against the previous Twitter boardroom coincide with claims by the US right that conservative views are being suppressed by online platforms. They often cite the right to free speech in the United States. However, US legal experts have always emphasized that the government must not restrict the right to free speech. On the other hand, companies and online platforms have the right to set their own rules for communication on this basis.
A conflict between Musk and Apple has been brewing for some time. Musk is a thorn in the side of the 15 to 30 percent levy that is due on app platforms for subscription revenues generated within the app.
He announced that Twitter would focus more on subscription revenue rather than advertising. He again attacked a “secret 30 percent levy” that Apple takes on App Store purchases. In one photo, he hinted that he “wants to go to war” on the other hand. As usual, after Musk’s tweets, his fans formed at the online service, who also attacked Apple.
