We need only look to the collusion of Big Tech titans to censor the explosive Hunter Biden laptop story ahead of the 2020 election to know how they operate against conservatives. They collaborated once more in January 2021 to remove social media platform Parler from their app stores and phones essentially putting the website on life support. Finally, Amazon Web Services pitched in to terminate its hosting contract with the company.
The full-blown hysteria over Elon Musk’s purchase of Twitter continues unabated and now the big guns are getting involved. Last week, Phil Schiller, Apple Fellow leader of the App Store and Apple events, deleted his Twitter account. Seeing the writing on the wall after that very telling move, Musk preemptively informed users he would develop an alternative phone if Google and Apple were to deplatform the social media site.
I certainly hope it does not come to that, but, yes, if there is no other choice, I will make an alternative phone
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 25, 2022
On Monday, Musk announced that Apple had pulled most of its advertising from Twitter.
Apple has mostly stopped advertising on Twitter. Do they hate free speech in America?
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 28, 2022
What’s going on here @tim_cook?
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 28, 2022
Will Musk’s Twitter ownership spark a Big Tech civil war?
Yes: 94% (46 Votes)
No: 6% (3 Votes)
Musk also confirmed that Apple has threatened to withhold Twitter from its App Store. He asks why, but he already knows why. Free speech is like kryptonite to progressives. It’s the only thing that can diminish their power.
Apple has also threatened to withhold Twitter from its App Store, but won’t tell us why
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 28, 2022
He also shared information about an alleged 30 percent tax on purchases made through their App Store. This was followed by a meme offering the choice of paying 30 percent or going to war. The car shown in the meme has clearly decided to go to war.
Is this the billionaire’s way of telling us he’s planning to go to war against Apple?
Did you know Apple puts a secret 30% tax on everything you buy through their App Store? https://t.co/LGkPZ4EYcz
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 28, 2022
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 28, 2022
In a recent New York Times op-ed, Yoel Roth, Twitter’s former head of “Trust and Safety,” seemed to threaten Musk. He wrote that Twitter would be booted from Google and Apple’s app stores, “making it more difficult for billions of potential users to get Twitter’s services. This gives Apple and Google enormous power to shape the decisions Twitter makes.”
Elon Musk did not become the world’s richest man by backing away from challenges and my guess is that the self-described “free-speech absolutist” will not be deterred from his goal of turning Twitter into a thriving forum for free speech.
Apple’s unethical actions may have stopped Parler two years ago, but the company has overcome those obstacles and is currently flourishing. If Parler can prevail, Musk can too.
In fact, the company’s provocations may have just provided the catalyst for a Big Tech civil war. And Musk’s request for transparency may just be the opening salvo.
Apple should publish all censorship actions it has taken that affect its customers
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 28, 2022
A little sunlight on the tech giant will be a good thing for the American people.
For Apple itself, perhaps not so much.
