In the Tweet, Elon Musk also alleges that Apple “won’t tell us why” they are threatening “to withhold Twitter from its App Store,”.
Apple has also threatened to withhold Twitter from its App Store, but won’t tell us why
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 28, 2022
This comes after mounting pressure from activists trying to lobby both Apple and Google to remove Twitter from their respective app stores.
Musk also posted another Twitter poll asking Twitter users if “Apple should publish all censorship actions it has taken that affect its customers”.
At the time of reporting, the poll has over 690,000 votes with over 86% of users saying “yes” and just under 14% of users saying “no”.
Apple should publish all censorship actions it has taken that affect its customers
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 28, 2022
Other businesses chimed in on Twitter to say that Apple has also threatened them with app store removal if they did not do what Apple told them.
Who else has Apple censored? https://t.co/lZculFIkAX
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 28, 2022
One business said that “Apple disallowed almost anything related to Covid, especially vaccines or human origins of the virus.”
Apple disallowed almost anything related to Covid, especially vaccines or human origins of the virus.
— LBRY 🚀 (@LBRYcom) November 28, 2022
We had to build a list of over 20 terms to not show results for, only on Apple devices.
Apple also later rejected us because users included Pepe images in videos. pic.twitter.com/euw1ppkoKg
In response, Elon Musk asked, “Who else has Apple censored?”.
He also discussed how Apple “puts a secret 30% tax on everything you buy through their App Store” and then posted a meme about paying the 30% or going to war.
Did you know Apple puts a secret 30% tax on everything you buy through their App Store? https://t.co/LGkPZ4EYcz
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 28, 2022
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 28, 2022
One Twitter user posted an image stating that “97.5% of Apple’s donations are to the Democratic Party.”
97.5% of Apple's donations are to the Democratic Party. Twitter allowing free speech is against party interests so Apple must play the role of enforcer. pic.twitter.com/khv7VPNawt
— The Rabbit Hole (@TheRabbitHole84) November 28, 2022
Other users are suggesting that this is an abuse of monopoly power on Apple’s part.
This is exactly how Parler was destroyed for its refusal to obey the censorship orders of DC Democrats: Apple and Google removed the app from their stores, crippling Parler.
— Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) November 28, 2022
Threats of doing the same to Twitter have clearly been raised. It's an insane abuse of monopoly power. https://t.co/998ok6KJuh
Even Musk suggested Apple had a “duopolist” power in the industry.
Are you suggesting Apple would use its duopolist powers to hurt Tesla?
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 28, 2022
Recently, Elon Musk also said that if Apple or Google removed Twitter from their respective app stores, he would have no other choice but to make an alternative phone.
I certainly hope it does not come to that, but, yes, if there is no other choice, I will make an alternative phone
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 25, 2022