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Earlier this week, WhatsApp co-founder Brian Acton joined the #DeleteFacebook campaign that urges users to stop using the social media platform because of the Cambridge Analytica data scandal and other perceived abuses of acquiring and selling personal information of Facebook users. It was an intriguing decision since Acton made billions by selling WhatsApp to Facebook and even worked for the social network. Now another Silicon Valley celebrity is done with Facebook, Elon Musk deleted both the SpaceX and Tesla Facebook pages.
Both pages are now inactive after he was urged to do so by people on Twitter. When Musk was asked about the #DeleteFacebook hashtag, the Tesla founder asked, “What’s Facebook?” Musk was asked about the Facebook accounts again on Twitter, with a user challenging Musk to delete the Facebook pages “if you’re the man?” Musk responded by claiming that he didn’t know Tesla and SpaceX even had Facebook pages. The next thing we know, the SpaceX and Tesla Facebook pages were gone.
I didn’t realize there was one. Will do.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 23, 2018
Definitely. Looks lame anyway.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 23, 2018
Musk said that he personally never used Facebook and his companies never advertised on Facebook. He added, “None of my companies buy advertising or pay famous people to fake endorse.”
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
We’ve never advertised with FB. None of my companies buy advertising or pay famous people to fake endorse. Product lives or dies on its own merits.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 23, 2018
This is a rather bold move by Musk, especially since both company Facebook pages had approximately 2.6 million followers. The Facebook page for the Tesla-owned Solar City has also been taken down. On the bright side, if you’re the social media manager for Tesla or SpaceX, your job just got much easier.
[TheVerge]