John tweeted out the statement earlier in the day about his decision. The famous musician indicated that he’s displeased with Twitter because it has caused people to become divisive.
“All my life I’ve tried to use music to bring people together. Yet it saddens me to see how misinformation is now being used to divide our world,” John wrote. “I’ve decided to no longer use Twitter, given their recent change in policy which will allow misinformation to flourish unchecked.”
Hours later, Musk, who acquired Twitter in the fall, tweeted a reply to the “Tiny Dancer” singer.
“I love your music. Hope you come back. Is there any misinformation in particular that you’re concerned about?” Musk asked.
John is the latest in a growing number of celebrities who have abandoned Twitter since Musk took over ownership. The varied list of stars include Whoopi Goldberg, filmmaker Rob Reiner and former WWE wrestler Mick Foley.
Numerous members of the music world have also quit the platform, including Trent Reznor, singer-songwriter Sara Bareilles and Jack White.
The reasons that celebrities have cited for leaving the social media platform include claims about an increase in misinformation as well as an alleged rise in hate speech. White has stated he made his decision based on Musk reactivating the account of former President Donald Trump, a move the rock star called “absolutely disgusting.”
Musk, who has called himself a “free-speech absolutist,” has said that Twitter will become a more open forum for public debate with fewer restrictions under his control. Critics have said, however, that less moderation on the platform will contribute to the spread of misleading claims and hateful rhetoric, which could cause vulnerable users to be less safe.
The news of John’s departure from Twitter comes as Musk is generating controversy over the so-called “Twitter Files.”
Last week, journalist Matt Taibbi released internal communications from Twitter that Musk shared with him. Dubbed the “Twitter Files,” the report detailed the company’s 2020 decision to block users from sharing a New York Post article about Hunter Biden’s alleged leaked laptop files in the run-up to the presidential election between Trump and Hunter’s father, Joe Biden.
A second installment of the “Twitter Files” was released Thursday. The new batch of internal Twitter communications made public reported what was claimed to be evidence that company employees had engaged in creating “blacklists” and prevented “disfavored tweets from trending.”
Newsweek reached out to John and Musk for comment.
