Cate Blanchett calls Elon Musk's Twitter takeover 'very dangerous' as celebs threaten to leave
Cate Blanchett, an Oscar winner, has delivered a grave warning about the ramifications of Elon Musk's recent Twitter takeover while attending the Chaplin Award Gala in New York City on Monday, April 25. Musk, 50, paid $61 billion for the social media giant last week and has promised to improve it so it can fulfil its potential as the world's "digital town square."
"It's dangerous," Blanchett, 52, said speaking to Variety of Musk's Twitter takeover. "That's all I have to say. It's very, very dangerous," the star of 'Don't Look Up' added. Several 'woke' celebrities, like Jameela Jamil, have threatened to boycott Twitter in protest of Musk's takeover. On April 25, the 'Good Place' actress tweeted that Musk's guarantee of "free speech" on the platform will lead to "lawless hate, bigotry, and misogyny."
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Elon Musk seizes control of Twitter for $44B, Internet says 'he could've been less annoying'
Ah he got twitter. I would like this to be my what lies here as my last tweet. Just really *any* excuse to show pics of Barold. 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. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/fBDOuEYI3e
— Jameela Jamil 🌈 (@jameelajamil) April 25, 2022
"Ah, he got Twitter" Jamil continued, vowing never to tweet again. "I would like this to be my what lies here as my last tweet." Phillip Schofield, a British television anchor, stated on Wednesday, April 26, that he'd uninstalled the Twitter app from his phone because he didn't want 'no part of it' in his life, despite the fact that his account was still operational. The host of 'This Morning' described the site as a "cesspit" of "vile, disgusting" trolls. "Well if Twitter becomes even more toxic- with Trumpy-treasonous lies & all the hatred- it will be taken less seriously, and people like me will quit- for peace of mind," actress-turned-activist Mia Farrow also tweeted.
Well if Twitter becomes even more toxic- with Trumpy-treasonous lies & all the hatred- it will be taken less seriously, and people like me will quit- for peace of mind.
— Mia Farrow🇺🇦 (@MiaFarrow) April 25, 2022
'Star Trek' actor George Takei has expressed his displeasure with Musk's takeover, but has refused to leave the platform on moral grounds. Instead, the 85-year-old has vowed to redouble his efforts to turn Twitter into a forum for civil discourse. "I'm not going anywhere. 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," Takei tweeted.
I’m not going anywhere. 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.
— George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) April 25, 2022
Musk, the world's richest man and a frequent Twitter user, has a tumultuous history with the app, and his plan to take it private is expected to have far-reaching consequences for a service used by more than 300 million people, including many international leaders. Musk claims that his takeover is motivated by a desire to protect Twitter as a platform for free speech rather than suppression. In a recent public speech, he stated, "Having a public platform that is maximally trusted and broadly inclusive is extremely important to the future of civilization. I don't care about the economics at all."
Musk has recommended loosening Twitter's content limitations, as well as removing bogus "spambot" accounts and moving away from advertising as the platform's principal income model, in recent weeks. Musk believes he can raise revenue by offering subscriptions that provide a better experience for paying users, potentially even an ad-free version of Twitter. Meanwhile, Twitter has promised its employees that they will have work for the next six months and that "no layoffs are planned." However, once the Tesla CEO takes over, he will be in charge of all HR decisions.