Twitter Restricts Elon Musk Impersonator Accounts for 'Unusual Activity'

Twitter placed "unusual activity" warnings on at least two verified accounts posing as the platform's new owner Elon Musk.

Visitors to the verified Twitter accounts of writer and former NFL player Chris Kluwe and podcaster Matt Helgeson were greeted with a page reading "Caution: This account is temporarily restricted" on Friday evening. Both accounts had changed their display names to "Elon Musk" and shared tweets that appeared to mockingly impersonate the billionaire.

Musk has been facing intense backlash over changes and planned changes at Twitter since he took ownership of the platform last week. Critics have warned that his advocacy of unrestricted "free speech" could enable misinformation and hate speech on the platform. Musk's plan to offer a "blue check" verification mark as part of a paid subscription plan has also sparked concern that impersonating accounts and spreading misinformation could soon become easier.

While Kluwe and Helgeson may have been temporarily blocked from accessing their accounts or making new tweets, both of the accounts could still be viewed after clicking through a link on the warning page.

As of Friday, Kluwe's verified profile page had been altered to include additional details that mirrored Musk's genuine account, such as claiming to be located in "Hell" and listing "Twitter Complaint Hotline Operator" in the bio line. A tweet shared by the account on Thursday seemingly encouraged other verified Twitter users to follow suit and help "tank" the value of the company.

"Gosh, if all these blue checkmarks started impersonating me to obliterate the power of my management it would be JUST LIKE a union strike, and I can't be having that! It would TANK the value of my $44b investment REAL quick :(" tweeted Kluwe as "Musk."

Other tweets from the account painted a decidedly less flattering picture of Musk.

"There is nothing better than waking up and enjoying a fresh, steaming cup of my own urine," Kluwe tweeted as the tech billionaire on Friday. "Such a tangy way to start the day, and it's scientifically proven to help brain cells grow. If you want to be like me, drink your pee."

A tweet on Helgeson's account may have also portrayed Musk in an unflattering light, especially for those who are not fans of 1970s jazz-rock bands.

"Big week at Twitter, the team is working hard on new features," Helgeson's account tweeted as Musk. "We're currently working on having Steely Dan's 'Two Against Nature' autoplay when you are on the site or app, can't wait for you to hear it."

At least two other verified Twitter accounts were posing as "Elon Musk" as of Friday, without being given the "temporarily restricted" label.

Karen North, clinical professor of Digital Social Media at University of California's Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, called the Musk impersonator accounts an "extremely clever protest" of the paid subscription plan in an interview with Newsweek.

"This little game is so clever," North said. "The game of taking your verified account and turning it into Elon Musk and then tweeting out fraudulent messages in his name as a protest, an entertaining protest against the idea that he would put verification up for sale."

While the details of Musk's changes to the Twitter verification process are unclear, North said that Twitter selling verification marks as part of a subscription plan might ultimately harm the company.

"The real loser when you start messing with the verification system is Twitter," North told Newsweek. "Twitter is what it is in large part because of the credibility that it has as a platform, because of the verification system."

Hundreds of unverified accounts, all of which could potentially be eligible for a checkmark under Musk's paid plan, were also posing as the new Twitter boss as of Friday. Some used Musk's pictures and claimed to be his "official" account.

Newsweek has reached out to Twitter for comment.