For Immediate Release: April 25, 2022
Media Contact: media@colorofchange.org
Color Of Change Calls for Greater Accountability and Federal Regulation of Twitter Amidst Elon Musk Takeover Bid
NATIONWIDE — Following the announcement by Twitter’s Board of Directors that the company will accept Elon Musk’s $46.5 billion purchase offer, Color Of Change President Rashad Robinson issued the following statement:
“Elon Musk’s ability to purchase and unilaterally run an influential social media platform without a check on his power underscores the crisis fueled by the absence of regulatory rules of the road for tech companies. In every facet of our digital lives, these companies have operated with impunity. By misleading elected officials during hearings, unleashing A.I software that entrenches discriminatory outcomes with law enforcement, altering algorithms to incentivize divisive encounters for financial gains, and allowing bad actors to weaponize their platforms for highly targeted misinformation campaigns. The fate of our democracy and the well-being of Black communities online are now in the hands of a select group of billionaires and corporate figures who purposely conflate ‘freedom to harm’ with ‘freedom of speech.’
Even before Musk’s bid, Color Of Change has routinely called out Twitter for their lack of urgency and concern for addressing racist and hateful attacks against Black users. Clearly the company does not have a board or oversight structure in place to ensure that content moderation and safety remain priorities.
Congress must use this moment as a wake up call to act now and implement the regulatory action needed to curb the harmful impact and repercussions that Big Tech and other major social media companies play in every aspect of Black lives.”
###
About Color Of Change:
Color Of Change is the nation’s largest online racial justice organization. We help people respond effectively to injustice in the world around us. As a national online force driven by over 7 million members, we move decision-makers in corporations and government to create a more human and less hostile world for Black people in America. Visit www.colorofchange.org.