The deep ties between Twitter and Saudi Arabia
10 hours ago
- #Saudi Arabia
- #Elon Musk
- Ali al-Ahmed, a Saudi journalist and human rights advocate, criticized Twitter (now X) for prioritizing profit over human rights.
- Saudi Arabia used Twitter as a tool for surveillance and repression, unmasking dissidents and arresting critics.
- Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, a major Twitter shareholder, and Saudi influence extended into Silicon Valley investments.
- Twitter employees, including Ahmad Abouammo and Ali Alzabarah, were implicated in spying for Saudi Arabia, accessing user data.
- Elon Musk's takeover of Twitter did not address the Saudi spy scandal, and his leadership saw increased corporate secrecy and legal battles.
- Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 and Silicon Valley's venture capital firms shared a disregard for democratic governance, aligning with authoritarianism.
- A court ruling revealed X's shareholders, highlighting ties to Saudi Arabia and other foreign investors.
- Musk's X became a platform for right-wing figures and faced accusations of enabling foreign influence and repression.