Elon Musk, the audacious tech mogul and owner of the social media platform once known as Twitter, has launched a blistering attack on the New York Times (NYT). The newspaper’s account on Musk’s platform, now dubbed ‘X,’ has mysteriously lost its gold verification badge. This dramatic action came hot on the heels of Musk accusing the NYT of supporting “calls for genocide” amidst the Israel-Hamas conflict.
The gold badge, a distinctive mark separating official accounts from imitators, was initially granted to legacy accounts like the NYT after Musk’s acquisition. However, the sudden removal of this badge, without any explanation from Musk, has left the media world buzzing.
This move is seen as a direct response to the NYT’s coverage of the Israel-Hamas conflict. The newspaper had initially run a headline accusing Israel of bombing a hospital in Gaza, citing only Palestinian sources. However, evidence later verified by U.S. intelligence suggested that the explosion was caused by a misfired rocket by Hamas. This led the Times to change its headline multiple times, prompting Musk to call for the cancellation of the publication.
BREAKING: NEW YORK TIMES CHANGES HEADLINES 3 TIMES AFTER ISRAELI PROPAGANDA- ZIONIST CONTROL OF THE MEDIA
“Israel strike KILLS hundreds in hospital”
Then
“At least 500 dead in STRIKE on Gaza hospital”
Then
“At least 500 dead in BLAST at Gaza hosptial” pic.twitter.com/5JVgMyMtZR
— Sulaiman Ahmed (@ShaykhSulaiman) October 17, 2023
In a more drastic measure, X has implemented a five-second delay on users’ access to NYT articles. According to sources cited by The Washington Post, this has resulted in a 50% drop in the Times’ traffic from X since August. Musk claims this change was made to encourage users to stay on X rather than clicking through to other sites.
Musk’s actions are part of a broader campaign against media outlets that have criticized his takeover and reformation of X. Critics have accused him of turning it into a right-wing coup and proliferating racism, charges that Musk vehemently denies.
In April, NPR became the first mainstream media outlet to abandon X, then Twitter, after Musk labeled it as “state-sponsored media.” However, NPR has since returned to the platform. In a surprising twist, Musk has encouraged more conservative reporters like Tucker Carlson to leverage his platform’s looser content rules. This move has helped Carlson surpass Fox News, his former employer, in ratings on multiple occasions.
As the war between Musk and mainstream media continues to escalate, one thing is clear: Musk isn’t afraid to challenge the status quo and shake things up, no matter how big the opponent. With this latest move against the New York Times, he’s sent a loud and clear message: ‘Fake news’ will not be tolerated!