Elon Musk Stumps BBC Reporter: ‘You Just Lied’

During an interview with the BBC, Elon Musk disputed a reporter’s claim that hate speech is on the rise on Twitter, demanding evidence of just one example. When asked by reporter James Clayton about Twitter’s ability to address hateful content with their current staffing levels, Musk demanded a specific example of such content. The reporter could not provide one, leading Musk to accuse him of lying, as he claimed that hate speech is not prevalent on Twitter.

This interview exemplifies the contentious relationship between the CEO of Twitter and major news outlets, with Musk previously referring to the BBC as “government-funded media.” However, during the interview, Musk promised to re-label the company as “publicly funded.”

Twitter has reduced its workforce by 6,500 employees since Musk took control and has been successful in cutting operating costs. Musk also mentioned that they are breaking even and advertisers are starting to return.

In addition, Musk has reportedly blocked tweets linking to Substack, a competitor to Twitter’s platform, after they introduced Notes, a similar feature. Furthermore, Twitter currently labels National Public Radio as “government-funded media,” and the New York Times lost its verified status on the platform.