Jacqueline Sweet, a US-based journalist, reported that her account on X (formerly Twitter) was suspended following the publication of her article in The Spectator, which debunked a conspiracy theory alleging that an X account posting in support of Elon Musk was secretly operated by Musk himself. The account in question belonged to Adrian Dittmann, a man reportedly living in Fiji who frequently shares positive posts about Musk. Sweet's investigation, in collaboration with a hacker and a fellow journalist, revealed Dittmann's true identity, countering the false narrative that Musk was disguising himself online as Dittmann.

After Sweet shared her findings on X, Musk playfully responded, "I am Adrian Dittmann. It’s time the world knew," which raised eyebrows about the ensuing suspension of Sweet's account. Shortly after, she was informed of her account's suspension for allegedly violating the platform's rules regarding "Posting Private Information." Sweet denied any wrongdoing, stating that her article contained no personal information about Dittmann, such as phone numbers or undisclosed photos. According to her, these claims were an oversreach and instead maintained the vital importance of addressing misinformation in the public sphere.

The suspension extended to prevent sharing links to her article and related blog posts by her collaborators, with users encountering messages that indicated technical issues when attempting to post the links. Sweet expressed her suspicions that Musk's reaction may have contributed to the platform's decision to suspend her account.

In a follow-up statement, Matt McDonald, managing editor of The Spectator, defended Sweet's reporting, highlighting the importance of her work in debunking a widely circulating conspiracy theory. McDonald pointed out that the findings were made using entirely public information, emphasizing their relevance given Musk’s substantial influence in international affairs.

Dittmann himself has publicly disclaimed any connection to Musk, reiterating his stance on X, while representatives from the platform X have not responded to requests for comment regarding the suspension or the blocking of links. This incident raises further questions about the boundaries of free speech and the potential for censorship on social media platforms, particularly when addressing high-profile figures like Musk.

For more detailed coverage, visit India Times and CNN.