Elon Musk has issued a warning to NPR, stating that its Twitter account could be reassigned to a different company, according to the American public broadcaster.
NPR has been inactive on Twitter since the Musk-owned social media tagged the news outlet as "state-affiliated media" alongside other Chinese and Russian media on the platform.
Elon Musk Threatens to Reassign NPR's Twitter Account
According to NPR, the big boss of Twitter, Musk, has threatened the media outlet, telling them that their account on the social network could be reassigned to "another company."
Musk reportedly reached out to one of the reporters of the American media outlet, as per a report by Engadget. The billionaire entrepreneur allegedly warned that the @NPR handle might soon be given away to another personality or organization if they continue to be inactive on Twitter.
The billionaire allegedly asked NPR when they plan to be active on Twitter again. He goes on to inquire if they should "reassign @NPR to another company?"
Twitter vs. NPR: 'State Affiliated Label' Controversy
NPR stopped sharing their news updates on Twitter since the social network slapped them with a "state-affiliated" label, Forbes reports. The public broadcaster has since slammed the tag as "misleading." Thus, it quit the platform as a protest.
Other news outlets on the platform that carry the same tag are the state-run publications of Russia and China, such as RT and Xinhua News Agency, respectively.
On top of NPR, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and PBS followed the same route. They also stopped using Twitter after getting such a label.
However, things have changed since then. Twitter has removed the "state-affiliated" label altogether. And as such, Russia and China outlets no longer bear such a tag, alongside NPR.
But despite that, NPR and the outlets that quit the platform over the labeling remain inactive.
Which Company Might Take Over NPR's Twitter?
The potential takeover has left many wondering which company might get their hands on the NPR handle.
Engadget notes that the Twitter Chief Twit, Musk, reportedly revealed which "company" might take over the account of the news outlet. In an email exchange, the tech entrepreneur reportedly disclosed that the "National Pumpkin Radio" is likely assuming control of the inactive account.
Reuters notes that Twitter policy states that users must log in at least once in 30 days to remain in control of their handle on the platform. They could permanently lose their account if they fail to do so and continue to be inactive.
With NPR still inactive on Twitter, it remains to be seen if a new "company" is set to take over their account on the platform in the coming days.
