Elon Musk, the controversial owner of X (formerly Twitter), has ignited fresh fury after dismissing a grieving father's concerns about the platform's verification system as a "dead end."
The shocking exchange occurred when Hamish Steele, a British television writer and director, reached out to Musk regarding account verification issues that emerged following his son's tragic death.
A Father's Heartbreaking Plea
Steele had been attempting to resolve problems with his late son's X account when he decided to contact Musk directly. The bereaved father sought assistance in navigating the platform's verification process during what he described as an "impossible time" for his family.
Instead of receiving support or sympathy, Steele was met with Musk's blunt three-word response: "This is dead end" - a reply that has since drawn widespread condemnation from social media users and child bereavement advocates alike.
Public Outrage and Backlash
The interaction quickly went viral, with thousands of users expressing outrage at Musk's handling of the sensitive situation. Many questioned the tech billionaire's empathy and criticised his platform's customer service approach to vulnerable users.
Child bereavement charities have since weighed in, highlighting the importance of compassionate communication with grieving families and calling for better training for social media platforms dealing with such delicate circumstances.
Ongoing Controversy for Musk's X
This incident represents the latest in a series of controversies surrounding Musk's leadership of the social media platform. Since acquiring Twitter for $44 billion in 2022, Musk has faced repeated criticism over his management style and the platform's policy changes.
The verification system in particular has been a point of contention, with many users reporting difficulties in resolving account issues since Musk overhauled the platform's blue checkmark system.
