New Delhi: Elon Musk on Sunday posted a poll on Twitter asking users whether whistleblower Edward Snowden and WikiLeaks co-founder Julian Assange should be pardoned by the US government. "I am not expressing an opinion, but did promise to conduct this poll. Should Assange and Snowden be pardoned?" Musk's tweet read.
Assange and Snowden had leaked confidential and sensitive information which brought surveillance by the US military and intelligence to the fore. Both of them are presently staying in exile. Assange is currently attempting to block his extradition from London. Snowden got Russian citizenship and recently received a Russian passport.
The billionaire has been at the receiving end of criticism for Twitter's subscription plan and layoffs ever since he took charge of the popular microblogging site. He launched Twitter Spaces a few days back where he hosted The Twitter Files on Sunday.
It was revealed on Saturday that Vijaya Gadde who was the head of Twitter's legal affairs and was fired by Musk as soon as he took office was at the centre of a censorship controversy following the disclosure of emails and internal communications showing her role in blocking on the social media outlet reports about President Joe Biden's son Hunter. Based on the communications, Taibbi made the disturbing disclosure that politicians from both parties could get Twitter to censor tweets. Musk had earlier reinstated former President Donald Trump's account which had been blocked following a poll. (With Agency inputs)
