Elon Musk’s abrupt suspension of several journalists who cover Twitter is just the latest in the coverage of the billionaire’s takeover of the social media platform.

Late a week, Musk apparently tossed from his platform reporters with The New York Times, The Washington Post, CNN, Voice of America and more. Also shut down was the account of a Business Insider columnist who published a series between 2018 and 2021 highlighting what she called dangerous Tesla manufacturing shortcomings.

Musk, of course, owns Tesla and also purchased Twitter for about $44 billion a couple of months ago.

According to AP, Twitter didn’t explain why the accounts were removed. Business Insider’s Linette Lopez told AP shortly before being suspended, she had posted a 2019 story about Tesla troubles. She also cited reports Musk was reneging on severance for laid-off Twitter employees, threatening workers who talk to the press.

Another suspended journalist, Matt Binder of technology news outlet Mashable, said he was banned Thursday.

“I have been highly critical of Musk but never broke any of Twitter’s listed policies,” Binder told AP.

The timing of the suspensions are ironic, coming as Musk makes major changes to content moderation on Twitter, promising to let free speech reign. He’s reinstated high-profile accounts of those accused of previously breaking Twitter’s rules against hateful conduct or harmful misinformation.

The Washington Post’s executive editor, Sally Buzbee, said technology reporter Drew Harwell “was banished without warning, process or explanation” following the publication of accurate reporting about Musk.

CNN said “the impulsive and unjustified suspension of a number of reporters … is concerning but not surprising.”

Frankly, that’s how I’d describe Twitter’s action. It’s a concern. But it should not be a surprise. Musk is a businessman who owns and, like it or not, controls his social media platform. Some users might agree with his approach. Many others will not, and they’ll take their business elsewhere. That’s how free enterprise works.

U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric told the AP the move sets “a dangerous precedent at a time when journalists all over the world are facing censorship, physical threats and even worse.”

It’s true journalists are criticized frequently these days. Increasingly more people question what media reports, particularly the national media.

But criticism of media is far from new, and if our reporting is solid, then we will stand by it.

If you think I sound less upset about Musk’s media ban than you might expect, you’re correct.

Let’s face it, there are many, many more platforms for reporting and sharing news these days than ever before.

If Musk wants to pull the plug on some reporters’ Twitter accounts, he’s likely just hurting himself. People who choose to follow reporters on social media inevitably will find those reporters on other social media platforms — quickly.

One expert who pointed out that news breaks on Twitter told AP, “Driving journalists off Twitter is the biggest self-inflicted wound I can think of.”

So, yeah, Musk might be shooting himself in the foot.

But perhaps media also should be thanking him. After all, sometimes we do move at a problematic pace.

Consider that it was Twitter where MLB.com reporter Jon Heyman this month incorrectly reported MLB heavyweight Aaron Judge was leaving New York in free agency and heading to San Francisco. Literally less than five minutes later, Heyman flagged it with a new tweet saying he had jumped the gun.

Too late. It already was spreading at the speed of light.

One day later Judge signed with the Yankees.

Heyman won’t soon be forgotten for that major blunder. That’s what happens when a reporter has an insatiable desire to be first, instead of just wanting to be right.

Still, to be clear, I don’t agree with Musk’s actions.

Consider this comparison — using Twitter to criticize Musk might be like readers writing letters to the editor here to criticize something this newspaper has reported.

Generally, we don’t withhold publication of those letters as long as they follow our other basic letter rules on things like length or respectfulness, etc.

That’s because we understand the value of public debate and discourse.

And to our regular readers, that also should come as no surprise.

blinert@tribtoday.com