Published , by TJ Denzer
Published , by TJ Denzer
Updated (12/15/2022 @ 7:08 a.m. PT): In the time since the original story ran, ElonJet account runner Jack Sweeney's Twitter has also been suspended. This follows on the back of Elon Musk announcing adjustments to Twitter rules that prohibit the sharing of up-to-date information on a person's location, which Twitter classifies as doxxing. Musk further shared that he intends to carry out legal action against Sweeney and further entities that "supported harm" towards his family. It is unknown at this time if Elon Musk would have a case as the information shared on ElonJet was public info that can be obtained by anyone. Stay tuned as we continue to follow this story for further updates.
Original Story: When Elon Musk took over Twitter, he claimed that free speech would be one of his core policies in the site’s leadership, adding that despite a risk to his security, even a certain account that tracks his personal flights has a right to exist on the platform if it’s not breaking the rules. Apparently, something in there was untrue or has changed, because said Twitter account - ElonJet - has been just recently suspended.
This news comes out of multiple sources, including confirmation of the ElonJet Twitter account’s suspension by the account owner, Jack Sweeney. ElonJet was an account that gained a bit of notoriety late in 2021 and earlier this year. It was an account that utilized publicly available information to post when Elon Musk was flying to various locations around the world as those flights were happening. When Musk came into leadership of Twitter, he used ElonJet as an example of his commitment to free speech, stating in November 2022 that his commitment extended “even to not banning the account following my plane, even though that is a direct personal safety risk.” It was on December 14 that Sweeney stated the account has been confirmed to have been permanently suspended.
Elon Musk has never been fond of the ElonJet account. When Elon Musk learned of the account, he allegedly offered Sweeney $5,000 to shut it down, as reported by NBC News. Sweeney turned the offer down and instead asked Musk for about $50,000 to help with his college, or about the cost of a Tesla Model 3. Elon Musk blocked Sweeney in January 2022, effectively signaling that there wouldn’t be any more negotiations.
Jack Sweeney also alleges that ElonJet was being targeted for Visibility Filtering, according to a supposedly obtained screenshot of Twitter Head of Safety and Trust VP Ella Irwin ordering Twitter staff to do so. Journalist Bari Weiss went into detail about Visibility Filtering in the second round the Twitter Files, sharing that it’s a tool Twitter content moderation staff used to “suppress what people see to different levels,” as told to her by an anonymous Twitter source. ElonJet’s permanent suspension comes only a few days after Jack Sweeney suggested the account’s visibility was being purposely meddled with.
Whatever the case, it would seem that ElonJet, the account Elon Musk specifically cited as a prime example of his commitment to free speech, has been permanently sunset. Stay tuned as we continue to follow this story for further updates.