EGOT recipient and The View moderator Whoopi Goldberg is the latest celebrity to bid adieu to Twitter.
The View co-host made the announcement on her ABC show Monday.
“It’s been a little over a week since Elon Musk took over Twitter and this place is a mess,” she said. “I’m getting off today because I just feel like it’s so messy, and I’m tired of now having certain kinds of attitudes blocked now getting back on. So I’m gonna get out, and if it settles down enough and I feel more comfortable maybe I’ll come back. But as of tonight, I’m done with Twitter.”
Goldberg listed all the whiplash announcements Musk has made since completing his takeover of the social media platform — such as the new blue checkmark program going from $20 to $8, and staff firings and re-hirings. She also cited Twitter suspending Kathy Griffin’s account for impersonating Musk.
Ironically enough, The View promoted the news on Twitter:
“People keep saying it’s free speech, but all speech is not free speech,” Goldberg added. “Some speech is not OK free speech. So everybody has to agree on that, but if people keep saying ‘You hurt my free speech’ it’s going to be a problem. You know what? This is our problem. But it ain’t my problem today because I’m out.”
A few others who have recently claimed they’re exiting the platform include TV showrunner and prolific producer Shonda Rhimes, This Is Us executive producer Ken Olin, singers Toni Braxton and Sara Bareilles and model Gigi Hadid.
“Not hanging around for whatever Elon has planned. Bye,” tweeted the Grey’s Anatomy creator and producer mogul last week, while This Is Us executive producer Olin declared, “I’m out of here.”
“Let’s keep the faith. Let’s protect our democracy. Let’s try to be kinder. Let’s try to save the planet. Let’s try to be more generous. Let’s look to find peace in the world,” he added.
“I’m shocked and appalled at some of the ‘free speech’ I’ve seen on this platform since its acquisition,” wrote R&B artist Braxton. “Hate speech under the veil of ‘free speech’ is unacceptable. I am choosing to stay off Twitter as it is no longer a safe space for myself, my sons and other [people of color].”
“Welp. It’s been fun Twitter. I’m out. See you on other platforms, peeps. Sorry, this one’s just not for me,” tweeted Girls5Eva star and Grammy-winner Bareilles.
“For a long time, but especially with its new leadership, it’s becoming more and more of a cesspool of hate & bigotry, and it’s not a place I want to be a part of,” wrote supermodel Hadid on Instagram. “I can’t say it’s a safe place for anyone, nor a social platform that will do more good than harm.”
Yet others on the left are encouraging people to stay on the platform to keep expressing their views — at least, until the upcoming midterm elections.
Director and activist Rob Reiner, who previously expressed concern about Musk taking over the platform, tweeted: “For those who are fighting to preserve our Constitutional Democracy, now is not the time to leave Twitter. Now is the time to VOTE BLUE!”
Musk confirmed last week Twitter will be rolling out a $7.99 monthly plan that will allow anybody to get verified with a blue checkmark, and also suggested that such accounts will have an algorithmic advantage over non-verified accounts. Musk has claimed this is the only way to crack down on spam and bots, and also necessary to make Twitter into a profitable company. (He’s said Twitter loses about $4 million per day.)
In response, several verified celebrity Twitter accounts, such as comedian Kathy Griffin and YouTube celebrity Ethan Klein, changed their handles to mimic Musk’s, and then tweeted anti-Musk views.
On Sunday, Musk declared: “Any Twitter handles engaging in impersonation without clearly specifying “parody” will be permanently suspended. Previously, we issued a warning before suspension, but now that we are rolling out widespread verification, there will be no warning. This will be clearly identified as a condition for signing up to Twitter Blue at all will cause temporary loss of verified checkmark.”
Musk, who has dubbed himself a “free speech absolutist,” has been criticized as hypocritical for the stance and as it made him appear like he can’t take a joke.
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