All the Celebrities Who’ve Quit Twitter Because of Elon Musk

The arrival of Elon Musk to Twitter has meant full chaos. From (failed) paid Twitter verification to the reinstatement of accounts run by bigots to the layoffs of hundreds, Musk’s drastic changes to the platform have caused several celebrities to say goodbye to the platform.

Musk initially revealed that he would change its verification policy and allow for all users (for a price) to add a blue checkmark, which was previously reserved for celebrities, journalists and notable figures, to their accounts. He later put those plans on pause.

Then came the layoffs. On Nov. 4, he started to layoff a large portion of Twitter’s workforce, with New York Times saying that half of the app’s employees had been fired. A large number of the app’s employees that stuck around announced they were resigning.

And then he let Donald Trump and other bigots (including Marjorie Taylor Greene) back on the app. The new Twitter owner made the decision after conducting a poll asking Twitter users to vote “yes” or “no” about whether Trump should be allowed back on the site. In the poll, 52 percent voted in the affirmative.

“The people have spoken. Trump will be reinstated. Vox Populi, Vox Dei,” Musk tweeted. He used the Latin phrase, which translates to: “the voice of the people, the voice of God.”

The decision seemed to be off-the-cuff, given he had previously said that no major content decisions would be made prior to the convening of a “content moderation council,” as TechCrunch notes, which does not appear to be functioning yet.

Here’s a growing list of celebrities who’ve decided to no longer use Twitter… all because of Musk.

Whoopi Goldberg

Whoopi Goldberg announced she was logging off (for now) from Twitter while appearing on The View, describing Elon Musk’s Twitter as a “mess.”

“I’m getting off today,” she said on Nov. 7. “I just feel like it’s so messy, and I’m tired of now having had certain kinds of attitudes blocked, and now they’re back on. I’m going to get out, and if it settles down and I feel more comfortable, maybe I’ll come back.”

She added, “As of tonight, I’m done with Twitter.”

Shonda Rhimes

As soon as Musk’s acquisition of Twittter was finalized, Shonda Rhimes quit Twitter.

“Not hanging around for whatever Elon has planned,” she wrote. “Bye.”

The Grey’s Anatomy creator’s account still exists, but Rhimes has not tweeted or liked any tweets since Oct. 29.

Other show creators like Billions showrunner Brian Koppelman and This Is Us executive producer Ken Olin have also left the app.

Gigi Hadid

Gigi Hadid was done with the “cesspool of hate” on the bird app.

“I deactivated my Twitter account today,” the model wrote on her Instagram Stories on Nov. 7. “For a long time, but especially with its new leadership, it’s becoming more and more of a cesspool of hate & bigotry, and its not a place I want to be a part of.”

Hadid’s announcement came with a screenshot from a former member of Twitter’s human rights team, sharing that she had been laid off by Musk.

“Only sorry to the fans, who I’ve loved connecting with for a decade via Twitter, but I can’t say it’s a safe space for anyone, nor a social platform that will do more good than harm,” she wrote.

Toni Braxton

Toni Braxton never hit the “deactivate” button but has been absent from Twitter, ever since announcing she was leaving on Oct. 28.

“I’m shocked and appalled at some of the ‘free speech’ I’ve seen on this platform since its acquisition,” Braxton tweeted. “Hate speech under the veil of ‘free speech’ is unacceptable; therefore I am choosing to stay off Twitter as it is no longer a safe space for myself, my sons, and other POC.”

Sara Bareilles

A day after Braxton announced her departure, Sara Bareilles announced she was leaving, too.

“Welp. It’s been fun Twitter. I’m out,” she tweeted. “See you on other platforms, peeps. Sorry, this one’s just not for me. ”

Bareilles’ account continues to be exist on the app, but she has not liked or tweeted since Oct. 29.

Jack White

It took Donald Trump getting reinstated for Jack White to say goodbye to the bird app. On Nov. 20, the musician shared a lengthy note to Elon Musk on Instagram explaining his decision to leave.

“So you gave Trump his Twitter platform back. Absolutely disgusting, Elon,” he wrote. “That is officially an asshole move.”

“You intend to give platforms to known liars and wash your hands like pontius pilate and claim no responsibility?” he later added. “Trump was removed from Twitter because he incited violence multiple times, people died and were injured as a result of his lies and his ego, (let alone what his coup did to attempt to destroy democracy and our Capitol).”

Musk reinstated Trump’s account after more than 15 million people allegedly voted in a Twitter poll, with 51.8 percent suggesting that the former president’s account should be reinstated. “Vox Populi, Vox Dei,” Musk wrote about his decision.

Trent Reznor

Elon Musk had some pointed words for Trent Reznor after the rocker decided to leave the app.

“And it turns out that Trent ‘nine inch nails’ Reznor is actually a crybaby ,” tweeted Musk about Reznor’s decision to leave Twitter.

Reznor had shared in a Nov. 19 The Hollywood Reporter interview that he was “about to depart” from the app.

“We don’t need the arrogance of the billionaire class to feel like they can just come in and solve everything. Even without him involved, I just find that it has become such a toxic environment,” he said. “For my mental health, I need to tune out. I don’t feel good being there anymore.”

Erik Larsen

Comic book artist Erik Larsen — who has created the likes of Savage Dragon and written for Ant — stayed true to his word about leaving the app were Elon Musk to purchase it.

“Yeah, I left. I said I would leave if Musk bought Twitter. Musk bought Twitter,” he said in an email to NBC News. “So, I had no choice. The move only emboldened those most toxic users. The racists, ‘patriots’ and creeps are back in full force.”

“I have no regrets,” he added.

Téa Leoni

Madam Secretary said goodbye to the bird app. On Oct. 30, the CBS political drama actress said she’d be leaving. She deactivated her account shortly after.

“Hi everyone. I’m coming off Twitter today — let’s see where we are when the dust settles,” she tweeted, per NBC News. “Today the dust has revealed too much hate, too much in the wrong direction. Love, kindness, and possibilities for all of you.”

From Rolling Stone US.