British actress Jameela Jamil has vowed to never tweet again following the announcement that Elon Musk will be buying the social media network Twitter.
In a shock £34.5billion deal, the world’s richest man has sealed the site’s fate but promised users “free speech”.
Announcing his takeover, Musk tweeted: “I hope that even my worst critics remain on Twitter, because that is what free speech means.”
But Jameela isn’t here for it.
Taking to her own account, the actress bid farewell to her followers with a witty goodbye speech.
“Ah he got twitter,” she said.
“I would like this to be my what lies here as my last tweet. Just really *any* excuse to show pics of Barold,” she wrote, adding a series of photos of the dog she shares with her musician boyfriend James Blake.
“I fear this free speech bid is going to help this hell platform reach its final form of totally lawless hate, bigotry, and misogyny. Best of luck.”
In an earlier tweet, Jameela joked: “One good thing about Elon buying twitter is that I will *FINALLY* leave and stop being a complete menace to society on here. So it’s win win for you all really.”
Tesla founder Elon Musk has agreed to buy Twitter for £42.57 a share in a massive £34billion deal which was unanimously approved by the company's board of directors yesterday.
It means the social media platform will become a private company, owned by the world's richest man.
Musk, who is worth an estimated £214billion, has promised that Twitter will continue to be a platform for free speech.
In a statement, he said: "Free speech is the bedrock of a functioning democracy, and Twitter is the digital town square where matters vital to the future of humanity are debated.
"I also want to make Twitter better than ever by enhancing the product with new features, making the algorithms open source to increase trust, defeating the spam bots, and authenticating all humans.
"Twitter has tremendous potential – I look forward to working with the company and the community of users to unlock it."
The Twitter board of directors unanimously approved the takeover deal but its celeb users aren’t buying into Musk’s “vision”.
Legendary Star Trek actor George Takei joined the chorus of sceptical celebrities, taking to his account to voice his fears but explaining he won’t be leaving the platform.
“I'm not going anywhere,” the 85-year-old tweeted.
“Should this place become more toxic, I pledge to strive even harder to lift up reason, science, compassion and the rule of law. The struggle against fascism, misinformation, and hate requires tough fighters.
“I hope you stay in the fight, right beside me,” he wrote, before joking that Musk was setting himself up for failure.
“The problems Elon Musk will face as the owner of a social media company will make him accelerate his Mars escape plans considerably,” he quipped.
Taking a less musing approach, Rapper Ice-T tweeted: “It would kinda dope if Musk bought Twitter and just shut it off…. Lol”
Kevin Jonas of the Jonas Brothers asked: “Will we now get the edit tweet option?”
And Marvel’s Shang-Chi star Simu Liu asked: “Was there nothing better to do with 44 billion dollars?”
Others were more pensive with their views on the takeover. MSNBC host Joy-Ann Reid declared: “Translation: if his worst critics leave, Twitter will be as worthless as Gab, Gettr (lol) and Truth Social.
“He needs y'all to stay on here so his 'free speech' people can harass you for fun.
“Because dude does not ALWAYS believe in free speech...” she wrote before linking to an article telling the storied of Musk’s critics and an employee who suffered retaliation for being critical of his companies.
Activist and podcast host Amy Siskind joined the debate, publicly weighing up whether to leave the site.
“I am sitting with my thoughts and watching, and haven't decided if I am staying here,” she tweeted.
“I have a huge philosophical issue knowing whatever content I provide here goes directly towards enriching one man, who I think is absolutely awful. Watching. His platform is hemorrhaging users.
“People need to understand that this is no longer a public company. Every post you make here is free content to enrich one man, Elon Musk.
“He is completely in control and answers to no one. I don't view him as a mentally stable person.”
