Celebs leave Twitter – and Amber Heard’s account disappears – as Elon Musk takes over

Billionaire Elon Musk seems to have a fractured relationship with his trans daughter, Vivian. (PHOTO: Getty Images)

Many celebs have expressed concern amid Elon Musk’s Twitter takeover, some even leaving the social media platform.
Toni Braxton said she was “shocked and appalled” at what was considered “free speech” after Musk’s ownership era began.
The news comes as major global companies, including General Mills and Volkswagen, have suspended their advertising on Twitter.

Top global companies, including General Mills and Volkswagen, have suspended their advertising on Twitter. Meanwhile, celebrities are considering quitting the platform altogether amid Elon Musk’s takeover.

The Tesla and SpaceX CEO, who acquired the company for $44 billion, has announced several changes to the company after saying he wants to promote free speech, which may include reinstating the accounts of banned users.

He did, however, say Kanye West’s account had been “restored by Twitter before the acquisition” and without his knowledge.

The rapper was suspended following his racist and antisemitic comments.

More advertising woes for Musk’s Twitter as brands hit pause

Top global companies, including General Mills and Volkswagen, suspended their advertising on Twitter on Thursday as pressure builds on Elon Musk to turn his platform into a successful business.

“We have paused advertising on Twitter,” said Kelsey Roemhildt, a spokesperson for General Mills, whose brands include Cheerios and Häagen-Dazs.

“As always, we will continue to monitor this new direction and evaluate our marketing spend,” the spokesperson added, confirming a report by the Wall Street Journal.

The report, citing anonymous sources, also said that Volkswagen, drug giant Pfizer and Oreo-maker Mondelez International hit pause on Twitter ads.

Officials and civil rights groups have expressed worry that Musk will open the site to uncontrolled hate speech and misinformation as well as reinstate banned accounts, including that of former US president Donald Trump.

Reports that Musk plans mass layoffs at the site, which would include content moderators, have also frazzled observers.

Advertisers are Twitter’s main source of revenue, and Musk has tried to calm nerves by reassuring that the site would not become a “free-for-all hellscape”.

Yet as a potential alternative source of revenue, Musk has touted an idea to charge $8 per month to verify users’ accounts, arguing the plan would create a new revenue stream for the company.

– AFP

While advertisers considered their partnerships with the social networking site, celebrities including Toni Braxton and Sara Bareilles, as well as producer Shonda Rhimes, said they were considering leaving the platform, per Yahoo! Entertainment.

Braxton said she was “shocked and appalled” at what was considered “free speech” after Musk’s ownership era began.

“Hate speech under the veil of ‘free speech’ is unacceptable; therefore, I am choosing to stay off Twitter as it is no longer a safe space for myself, my sons and other POC,” she tweeted. Meanwhile, actor Téa Leoni’s account disappeared, and so too did Musk’s ex, Amber Heard.

According to People, Heard’s Twitter account, @realamberheard, has been deactivated, with the search now coming up and reading: “This account doesn’t exist.”

Billions showrunner Brian Koppelman seems to have left the platform as well, as his bio has since also been changed to: “Not here for now.”

This, after tweeting in a since-deleted meme of Musk, Trump and Ye as the Three Musketeers.

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