'Fix Your Companies Or Congress Will' - Senator Ed Markey To Elon Musk

Hours after Elon Musk made fun of Senator Ed Markey for asking questions about Twitter's authentication process, the Massachusetts Democrat issued an ultimatum over the weekend to "fix" his companies "or Congress will."

The conversation took place on Friday after Markey sent Musk a tweet with an attached letter in which he criticised the new $7.99 per month Blue with verification subscription and asked Twitter to clarify how a Washington Post reporter was able to successfully create a verified account impersonating the senator.

“Twitter must explain how this happened and how to prevent it from happening again,” Markey writes.

A @washingtonpost reporter was able to create a verified account impersonating me—I’m asking for answers from @elonmusk who is putting profits over people and his debt over stopping disinformation. Twitter must explain how this happened and how to prevent it from happening again. pic.twitter.com/R4r7p6mduP

— Ed Markey (@SenMarkey) November 11, 2022

“Perhaps it is because your real account sounds like a parody.” Musk responded via a tweet on Sunday.

One of your companies is under an FTC consent decree. Auto safety watchdog NHTSA is investigating another for killing people. And you’re spending your time picking fights online. Fix your companies. Or Congress will. https://t.co/lE178gPRoM

— Ed Markey (@SenMarkey) November 13, 2022

About an hour later, the billionaire tweeted again, asking: "And why does your pp have a mask?" in reference to the Senator's Twitter profile photo, which depicts him donning a mask.

And why does your pp have a mask!?

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 13, 2022

Musk's response was not well received by Markey, who also threatened that if Musk doesn't make things right, Congress may take action against him and his several businesses.

"An FTC consent decree is in effect for one of your businesses.

The NHTSA, which monitors auto safety, is looking into another for causing deaths.

"And you're wasting your time online picking battles," Markey says. "Fix your businesses. Or Congress will."

The senator's worries about online impersonation are not baseless.

Following Twitter last week's introduction of the option to pay for iOS verification, the network was inundated with a flurry of phoney verified accounts posing as well-known users.

While a fake LeBron James account said he was about to leave the Los Angeles Lakers, a Nintendo account shared a picture of Mario giving the bird.

The majority of these accounts have subsequently been deleted, but others have lingered online for a while, possibly harming the person or brand they were imitating.

Musk later declared that individuals who impersonate people on Twitter will be banned, yet fraudulent accounts continued to exist, causing Twitter to block all Blue signups as a result.

Despite the fact that Markey plainly does not speak for the entirety of Congress, the Democrats will continue to hold the majority in the Senate after the November elections.

Markey has already expressed worries about Tesla's full-self driving software while serving on a number of committees that could have an impact on the Musk-owned company, including the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee.