Elon Musk deletes SpaceX, Tesla Facebook pages
When asked on Twitter if he'll delete the SpaceX page, Musk responds, "Will do." Then he does the same for Tesla. Later, he says Facebook gives him "the willies."
- She has a master's degree in journalism from Syracuse University.
Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk is the latest to jump on the #DeleteFacebook bandwagon.
In response to a question from a Twitter user about deleting SpaceX's Facebook page, Musk replied on Friday: "I didn't realize there was one. Will do."
He then deleted the SpaceX page, as well as the Tesla page.
The Twitter hashtag #DeleteFacebook comes on the heels of last weekend's news that data company Cambridge Analytica gained access to millions of Facebook users' data and allegedly used it to try to influence the 2016 US presidential race in favor of Donald Trump. A US House committee on Friday urged Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg to personally testify at an upcoming hearing about Facebook's policies on user data. That followed a Thursday apology from Zuckerberg about the data mishap.
Tesla has left the building.
SpaceX's page is also no longer available.
Later in the Twitter thread, Musk explained why he's remaining on Instagram even though the social network is owned by Facebook.
Instagram’s probably ok imo, so long as it stays fairly independent. I don’t use FB & never have, so don’t think I’m some kind of martyr or my companies are taking a huge blow. Also, we don’t advertise or pay for endorsements, so … don’t care.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 23, 2018
On Saturday, Musk replied to a tweet by an online group of Tesla enthusiasts and said the page deletions weren't meant as a statement but were more of a gut-level reaction to Facebook.
"It's not a political statement," Musk wrote, "and I didn't do this because someone dared me to do it. Just don't like Facebook. Gives me the willies. Sorry."
It’s not a political statement and I didn’t do this because someone dared me to do it. Just don’t like Facebook. Gives me the willies. Sorry.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 24, 2018
Musk has a large presence on Twitter. He's taken to the social media site to sell hats and, yes, flamethrowers tied to his underground-tunneling business called The Boring Company. (He also appeared on Instagram to plug the flamethrower.) He's posted tweets critical of artificial intelligence and rival tech companies' AI products. And he's tweeted in celebration of SpaceX launches and his Falcon Heavy rocket.
Facebook didn't respond to CNET's request for comment.
First published March 23 at 9:49 a.m. PT.
Updates, 10:41 a.m.: Adds Musk's tweet about Instagram; 11:54 a.m.: Adds info on Musk's Twitter presence; March 24 at 3:58 p.m.: Adds Musk's remark about Facebook giving him "the willies."