The Elon Musk-owned platform formerly known as Twitter is marking some links to news organization NPR’s website as ‘unsafe’ when users click through to read the latest story about an altercation between a Trump campaign staffer and an Arlington National Cemetery employee.
This warning being displayed is typically applied to malicious links, like those containing malware, and other types of misleading content or spam. However, in this case, the web page being blocked is an NPR news report, raising questions about whether or not Musk’s X is actively trying to stop the news story from spreading.
Warning Message
When users click on the link, they are met with a warning message that reads:
"Warning: this link may be unsafe" followed by the URL of the web page in question, https://npr.org/2024/08/29/nx-s1-5092087/trump-arlington-cemetery-altercation-tiktok.
Instead of being taken to the website, the warning encourages them to go ‘back to the previous page’ by clicking the big blue button. To read the news story, users would have to click on the small text below that reads,’Ignore this warning and continue.’
Unclear Reasoning
It’s not immediately clear why NPR’s news site would have triggered this warning, nor why it would show up on specifically this story.
Possible Explanation
The message warns X users:
"The link you are trying to access has been identified by X or our partners as being potentially spammy or unsafe, in accordance with X’s URL Policy. This link could fall into any of the below categories:
- Malicious links that could steal personal information or harm electronic devices
- Spammy links that mislead people or disrupt their experience
- Violent or misleading content that could lead to real-world harm
- Certain categories of content that, if posted directly on X, are a violation of the X Rules"
It appears that NPR changed the URL from https://npr.org/2024/08/29/nx-s1-5092087/trump-arlington-cemetery-altercation-tiktok tohttps://www.npr.org/2024/08/29/nx-s1-5092087/trump-arlington-cemetery-altercation-video, but whether that’s in response to the link being blocked or whether some other issue may have falsely triggered the malicious link warning is not yet known.
Incident Raises Concerns about Free Speech
In any event, the move further muddies X’s image as a platform for free speech, which could drive more users to competitors like open source Mastodon, social networking startup Bluesky, Meta’s Threads and others.
NPR did not immediately return a request for comment and X typically longer replies to media requests for comment under Musk’s leadership. However, it did reply to NPR in this case later this afternoon, and said that the link was marked as a ‘false positive’ and had been corrected.
History of Incidents between NPR and X
This is not the first time there’s been an incident between NPR and X. The news organization last year chose to abandon X, then called Twitter, after Musk had the outlet labeled as ‘state-affiliated media’ — a label Twitter had previously used for propaganda outlets like those in Russia and China.
The move was seen as an attempt to silence independent voices and criticism of the administration. It sparked widespread outrage among journalists, activists, and lawmakers, who accused Musk of attempting to stifle free speech.
Similar Incidents
Similar incidents have been reported on other platforms, with some users accusing X of censorship and suppressing dissenting views. The incident highlights the need for greater transparency and accountability in the way social media platforms moderate content.
Concerns about Censorship
The incident raises concerns about the impact of social media platforms on free speech and the spread of information. As more people rely on these platforms for news and discussion, it’s essential to ensure that they remain open and accessible to all users.
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