--- title: "Journalist Critical of Elon Musk Allegedly Shadowbanned on Twitter" description: "Elon Musk-owned Twitter has been accused of intentionally shadowbanning a journalist — just after they reported on a pileup caused by a self-driving Tesla." date: "2023-01-13" modified: "2023-01-13" authors: - name: "Maggie Harrison Dupré" job_title: "Senior Staff Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/mharrison" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/journalist-elon-musk-shadowbanned-twitter" categories: - "Elon Musk" - "Future Society" - "The Industrialists" tags: - "elon musk" - "free speech" - "the digest" - "twitter" --- # Journalist Critical of Elon Musk Allegedly Shadowbanned on Twitter ![Elon Musk-owned Twitter has been accused of intentionally shadowbanning a journalist — just after they reported on a pileup caused by a self-driving Tesla.]() *\Image: Futurism\* ## J'Accuse! Just days after several [space journalists]() found themselves banned from Twitter for posting images of rockets, several users found that *The Intercept's* Ken Klippenstein — who had recently [posted highway surveillance video]() of a [self-driving Tesla]() causing a pileup that [injured eight people](), including a child — was curiously missing from search results. "After posting surveillance footage of a self-driving Tesla causing a major pileup," [tweeted]() *The* *Texas Observer's* Steve Monacelli, "it appears that Ken Klippenstein's account is being restricted from search results — except if you already follow him." Monacelli's claim was coupled with a few screenshots of a search for Klippenstein's name, in which the reporter's account *was* notably absent. Interesting, given that he boasts nearly half a million followers. The next day, per Monacelli's Twitter thread, Klippenstein's name was back in search results — but when Monacelli, an investigative reporter, turned to a third-party platform that tests if a Twitter account is being restricted, that site allegedly confirmed that Klippenstein's account had been "slapped with a Search Suggestion Ban." "The same test that shows a search suggestion ban for @kenklippenstein says that I haven't been throttled," Monacelli [continued](). "This leads me to believe this is a specific action taken against Ken's account and not a result of degradation of the site." In other words, by Monacelli's count, it appears that the Elon Musk-owned Twitter intentionally throttled Klippenstein's account, likely in response to Klippenstein's criticism of the Musk-owned Tesla. If true: yikes. https://twitter.com/stevanzetti/status/1613295292283236358 ## Digging Deeper To be fair, Twitter has [a lot]() of [issues]() right now. The platform has been a chaos engine since Musk took over, and a number of glitches and interface failures, [search issues]() included, have [been reported](). That in mind, there *is* the chance that Klippenstein's unfortunate throttling could be the result of an incredibly ill-timed tech failure. Even so, the timing is certainly suspicious, and Musk hasn't exactly shied away from kicking journalists, particularly those that are critical of him, [off the platform](). And on that note, it's worth noting the "[free speech absolutist]()" and Klippenstein have a [fairly unfriendly history](). If it's any consolation, though, Musk will apparently be looking into it. "I will inquire," Musk [tweeted]() on Dec 3o, in response to another alleged shadowban. "We really need to roll out the feature showing why an account was suspended or visibility filtered (aka ghostbanned). Will happen in Jan." **More on Musk's free speech efforts:** *[Free Speech Champion Elon Musk Is Mass Suspending Twitter Accounts of Journalists Who Criticized Him]()* ## Author At Futurism, I've reported extensively on the rise of AI as a cultural and business force shaping the media industry, and more broadly how those dynamics are changing how we all consume and share information and relate to one another. I'm also fascinated by public health policy and ethics, the role of emerging tech in politics and governance — and the powerful people and forces at those intersections — climate change, and the environment. My investigation on Sports Illustrated's use of AI-generated authors with fictional biographies won a 2024 Mirror Award for "Best Story on Media Coverage of Artificial Intelligence in Journalism and the Media" from Syracuse University's SI Newhouse School, I contributed to Niemen Lab's 2025 Predictions for Journalism series, and I've discussed my work for Futurism during appearances on NPR, CNN, the BBC, the CBC, and more. I grew up in rural Pennsylvania and attended the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where I played Division I field hockey for the Minutewomen as a midfielder. Since then, I've lived in New Orleans, Louisiana and Manhattan, New York. I spend my free time running, reading, perusing archival fashion, and searching for the world’s best negroni. I also have a debonair tuxedo cat, Westley, who's named after "The Princess Bride." ### Author social links [Bluesky]()