Twitter owner triggers online harassment of journalist after misrepresenting her reporting

Location: United States, Las Vegas
Date: September 17, 2023

Crime reporter Sabrina Schnur and the Las Vegas Review-Journal became targets of online harassment and abuse after a tweet from Elon Musk misinterpreted a report and triggered a social media pile-on. As owner of Twitter with over 150 million followers, Elon Musk wields enormous influence on the platform. The Coalition For Women In Journalism calls for an immediate apology from Musk and an acknowledgment of the harm caused by his actions.

“The social media outrage machine has never had it so wrong,” says Las Vegas Review-Journal Executive Editor Glenn Cook on September 17, 2023.

Taken aback by the cyber harassment, Cook wrote an editorial revealing the abuse and attacks the paper, particularly reporter Sabrina Schnur, faced following a tweet of one of their stories by billionaire Elon Musk. 

The controversy erupted when Musk shared a tweet featuring the headline of an obituary for a police officer, published by the Las Vegas outlet on August 18. The headline in question stated, “Retired police chief killed in bike crash remembered for laugh, love and coffee.”

No details about the crash that claimed the officer's life were released when the obituary was published. However, a week later, a video emerged showing the officer being targeted and killed in a hit-and-run incident. Schnur and the outlet followed up on the story, submitting the video as evidence to police. Schnur interviewed the officer's family members and investigated those accused of the crime, writing several reports on the incident.

Despite this, Musk’s tweet on September 17 showed the headline of the obituary and commented, “ An innocent man was murdered in cold blood while riding his bicycle. The killers joked about it on social media. Yet, where is the media outrage? Now you begin to understand the lie.” 

Musk’s comment suggested the outlet had lied by omitting that the officer was killed in a hit-and-run allegedly involving two Black teenagers. The billionaire used this misrepresentation to further his belief that mainstream media manipulates facts to fit its narrative.

This inflammatory and misinformed tweet was amplified by far-right commentators, including conspiracy theorist Laura Loomer, sparking a wave of disparaging comments towards the Review-Journal and its staff. Schnur, who wrote the obituary, bore the brunt of the online harassment. Twitter users shared her email address publicly and called the reporter a “liar.” 

“Sabrina Schnur and the Review-Journal are the targets of vicious cyber harassment because a prodded digital audience never noticed the story that infuriated them was published almost a month ago before new facts ever came to light,” wrote the editor of the Review-Journal.

Musk, also the owner of Tesla and SpaceX, has a history of targeting media outlets. He has referred to The New York Times as "propaganda" and accused it of being a lobbying firm for left-wing politicians. Since assuming control of Twitter in October 2022, Musk has frequently criticized the media, journalists, and news outlets. He has routinely shared misinformation and conspiracy theories to undermine public trust in mainstream journalism.

A recent analysis by The Washington Post revealed that Musk's Twitter activity has caused delays for users attempting to access links from reputable sources such as Reuters and The New York Times. Musk responded to the incident by claiming Reuters and facts were not well acquainted — this was an apparent reference to an investigative report by the wire service on Tesla, which alleged Musk’s company had formed a secret team to suppress complaints about its vehicle range.

Musk also engaged in a public dispute with NPR, changing its label on Twitter from "government-funded media" to "state-affiliated media." This move placed NPR alongside propaganda outlets in countries like Russia and China. When NPR said it would quit Twitter in response, Musk threatened to give away their Twitter handle unless they resumed posting.

The Coalition For Women In Journalism is alarmed but unsurprised at Musk's actions. He has continuously shown contempt for journalists and media outlets. Musk holds significant influence with his large following, knowing that his tweets will garner widespread attention. The harassment faced by Schnur and the Review-Journal directly resulted from Musk's highlighting of its month-old article. His tweet was ill-informed and framed the outlet's reporting inaccurately. Despite days passing since the incident, Musk has neither acknowledged his mistake nor removed the tweet.

We denounce the harassment Schnur and the Review-Journal faced and demand an immediate apology from Elon Musk.

The Coalition For Women In Journalism is a global organization of support for women journalists. The CFWIJ pioneered mentorship for mid-career women journalists across several countries around the world and is the first organization to focus on the status of free press for women journalists. We thoroughly document cases of any form of abuse against women in any part of the globe. Our system of individuals and organizations brings together the experience and mentorship necessary to help female career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.

If you have been harassed or abused in any way, and please report the incident by using the following form.