Strange headline? Yes. Even stranger story? Absolutely. Elon Musk fell for another scam on Twitter. I don’t think it’s unfair to say that this is something that will soon become a feature, rather than a bug, with all the trolls and disinformation people pouring back onto the platform under the guise of freedom of speech.
Musk is gullible. That wouldn’t be a problem is he had somebody vetting things before he reacted to them but apparently that’s not his style.
Here’s the latest can of worms.
The problem here is that there is no “Turkey newspaper” and the “tragic loss of life” never happened. It’s Russian propaganda.
And then of course things led to this.
Amplification of Russian propaganda then leads to an invitation to get involved in world events that are imaginary. Interesting.
Eleven hours.
— David Frum (@davidfrum) February 6, 2023
Evidently something got through.
@CommunityNotes please correct the above numbers
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 6, 2023
I take this as a heartening sign. Truly. It would be infinitely better if this ball didn’t get rolling in the first place, because who knows how many thousands of people on Twitter bought into the disinformation, but hey, at least it didn’t snowball and become an avalanche. These days we take the small blessings with a great deal of gratitude.
As Dirty Harry once opined "A man has to know his limitations", and as is all too apparent Elon Musk has not quite realized that yet. It is incendiary statements like the above where one must not trust, but instead verify.
— Larry (@0311OpEssexman) February 6, 2023
This may be a really, really stupid question but something jumped out at me in the original tweet from “Russian Market” – the line (after the bogus stats) that says Ursula’s video was deleted. Ursula? It’s a big world but is it possible they are referring to you? It’s not like we don’t have conservatives and other critics that come hear – they speak up now and then. Anyway I couldn’t help but notice that. As for the thrust of the article, yes Musk took the bait and made himself look stupid. What’s scary, to me at least is that the tweet was up for so long -and probably because with his massive ego Musk had delusions of grandeur about being a major and direct player in geopolitical affairs!
No. They’re talking about Ursula Van Der Leyen. She’s Ursula Major, I am Ursula Molecular.
Ursula,
Are you on Russia’s most wanted list?
I don’t think they know I’m alive. Why do you ask? Do you know something I don’t?
I had a Russian Blue cat once. I was definitely on his most wanted list.
Geez a rich white boy from the formerly apartheid run country has no sense of truth, or obligation to justice? Maybe Mr Mandela shouldn’t have let them all walk after all.