'Fix your companies. Or Congress will,' Ed Markey and Elon Musk go after each other on Twitter
BOSTON - Massachusetts Senator Ed Markey is clashing with billionaire Elon Musk and demanding the Twitter CEO fix his companies.
The back and forth is over Twitter's blue checkmark policy for verified accounts that was revised when Musk took over Twitter.
A @washingtonpost reporter was able to create a verified account impersonating me—I’m asking for answers from @elonmusk who is putting profits over people and his debt over stopping disinformation. Twitter must explain how this happened and how to prevent it from happening again. pic.twitter.com/R4r7p6mduP
— Ed Markey (@SenMarkey) November 11, 2022
It started when Markey shared a statement and letter sent to Musk last week, calling out how a Washington Post reporter was able to create a user account named the @realEdMarkey, with the Senator's permission, and bought a blue check mark, indicating the account was verified.
Markey wanted an explanation from Twitter on how that could happen and how the social media site is going to prevent it from happening again.
Musk responded to Markey on Twitter, saying "Perhaps it is because your real account sounds like a parody?"
Perhaps it is because your real account sounds like a parody?
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 13, 2022
Markey then tweeted back - "One of your companies is under an FTC consent decree. Auto safety watchdog NHTSA is investigating another for killing people. And you're spending your time picking fights online. Fix your companies. Or Congress will."
One of your companies is under an FTC consent decree. Auto safety watchdog NHTSA is investigating another for killing people. And you’re spending your time picking fights online. Fix your companies. Or Congress will. https://t.co/lE178gPRoM
— Ed Markey (@SenMarkey) November 13, 2022
Musk also owns Tesla, SpaceX, Neuralink and The Boring Company.
According to multiple reports, Twitter paused the new blue checkmark policy late last week, days after rolling it out, amid a number of cases where users began impersonating others.