Fisker CEO Deletes Twitter Account On Concerns About Elon Musk’s Control Of His Free Speech

Henrik Fisker was CEO at Fisker Inc. (electric-car maker). He deleted his Twitter account this week over fears about the way that social media platforms will be managed under Elon Musk’s longtime rival.

Twitter’s board on April 25 accepted Musk’s $44 billion bid to buy the company and take it private. Fisker, a well-known car designer who once worked for Musk under contract in Tesla’s early days, encouraged followers to shift to his Instagram to keep tabs on him in his final tweet. Musk says he’s committed to making Twitter a bastion for free speech, but Fisker isn’t so sure about that.

“I believe 100% in free speech,” he told SMESend a text message. “But I do not want my free speech to be actively managed or controlled by a competitor. And I do not want a competitor to determine how my followers experience Fisker as we grow our company.”

Some Twitter users are expressing concerns about the direction the platform will take under Musk’s control–such as a higher tolerance for hate speech, vaccine falsehoods and content that’s racist, misogynistic or attacks the LGBTQ community–though it’s unclear how many will leave. Other accounts, such as the popular “Elon Musk’s Jet,” which provides updates on where the mercurial billionaire flies his luxurious Gulfstream G650ER, are concerned they’ll be removed when the sale is complete.

Though he’s no longer on Twitter, Fisker Inc. is. Whether or not the Los Angeles-based carmaker maintains its account “is a company decision,” Fisker said, without elaborating. A company spokeswoman didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment on the matter.

Fisker, who once styled a BMW roadster for James Bond and led Aston Martin’s design studio, was an early design consultant for the vehicle that would eventually become Tesla’s Model S sedan. Musk didn’t like Fisker’s concept and (unsuccessfully) sued him in 2008 for breach of contract, claiming the Danish entrepreneur took the project to spy on Tesla. Fisker refuted the accusations.

His first attempt to take on Tesla, with the plug-in hybrid Karma luxury car from Fisker Automotive, failed about a decade ago, but he’s back with Fisker Inc. The company’s all-electric Ocean SUV, a competitor to Tesla’s Model Y, launches late this year and will be built under contract for Fisker by auto-engineering powerhouse Magna in Graz, Austria.

Ocean costs $37.499 for the Sport edition, which can go 250 miles per battery. For $68,999, buyers will be able to purchase the Extreme grade which can go at least 350 miles per charged. It accelerates from zero to sixty miles an hour in only 3.6 seconds. The partnership between Foxconn and Fisker will see the creation of the second Fisker model called PEAR in Lordstown Ohio in 2024.

Fisker shares dropped by about 4%, to $10.52 on Tuesday’s Nasdaq midday trading.