'Be better': CNN scolds Elon Musk over satirical post mocking the outlet

CNN scolded Elon Musk for tweeting a satirical post mocking the media outlet.

Musk shared an image that features CNN's Don Lemon, a picture of Musk, and a chyron that reads, "ELON MUSK COULD THREATEN FREE SPEECH ON TWITTER BY ALLOWING PEOPLE TO SPEAK FREELY." A headline similarly reads, "CNN: Elon Musk could threaten free speech on Twitter by literally allowing people to speak freely."

"This headline never appeared on CNN. Be better," the CNN Communications Twitter account replied.

"Lmaoooo," Musk responded.

Earlier this year, the Associated Press reported that the image was from Genesius Times, a satire site. A note appended to Musk's tweet links to the AP piece. "@CommunityNotes FTW!" Musk wrote in a reply to his tweet, using an abbreviation that means "for the win."

"It's a fabricated image and not an actual report from CNN," Emily Kuhn, senior director of communications at CNN Digital Worldwide, told the AP via email.

Musk has indicated that he wants Twitter to be a forum for free speech. Since taking over the social media company, he has already reinstated some previously suspended accounts, including the account of former President Donald Trump.

Musk has indicated that he there will be a mass amnesty for suspended accounts. "Currently suspended accounts will be enabled slowly next week after manual review to determine whether they have potentially broken the law or engaged in spam. Twitter will be a forum for the peaceful exchange of views," Musk tweeted on Friday. The business tycoon had run a Twitter poll on the proposal, and a majority of the votes supported the idea of granting amnesty to accounts that had not violated the law or perpetrated "egregious spam."

Musk tweeted on Monday that, "Apple has also threatened to withhold Twitter from its App Store, but won't tell us why."

Last week, Musk indicated that if Apple and Google were to ban Twitter from their app stores, he would create "an alternative phone."

"If Apple & Google boot Twitter from their app stores, @elonmusk should produce his own smartphone," conservative commentator Liz Wheeler tweeted.

"I certainly hope it does not come to that, but, yes, if there is no other choice, I will make an alternative phone," Musk replied.