Elon Musk hits out at the trolls writing fake stories about him

[midian182]

While few CEOs are known for their likeability, none divide opinion quite like Elon Musk. The Tesla boss seems to be revered and despised in equal measure by members of the public and other business leaders, but it seems one particular troll has gone the extra mile in their attempts to discredit Musk.

As reported by Bloomberg, a person going by the name of Shepard Stewart has been writing fake articles that paint a less-than-flattering picture of Musk. Pieces with titles such as “Elon Musk Continues to Blow Up Taxpayer Money With Falcon 9,” “Here’s How Elon Musk Stole $5 Billion in Taxpayer Dollars,” and “Elon Musk: Faux Free Marketeer and National Disgrace,” have appeared on the Federalist, Libertarian Republic, and Liberty Conservative websites.

People writing false news stories isn’t unusual, just ask Facebook, but what is strange is that Shepard Stewart isn’t a real person. Gavin Wax, editor-in-chief of the Liberty Conservative, said he is definitely a fake, and “went totally dark on us after we published him.”

Additionally, Wax discovered that the photo used by the person known as Shepard is also a fake. It’s actually a photoshopped LinkedIn headshot of a former Twitter executive.

The fake items have caused Musk himself to weigh in on the matter. “Can anyone uncover who is really writing these fake pieces? Can't be skankhunt42. His work is better than this,” he tweeted. A reference to South Park’s Gerald Broflovski, aka Kyle and Ike’s Dad, who uses the name when trolling people.

Can anyone uncover who is really writing these fake pieces? Can't be skankhunt42. His work is better than this. https://t.co/Qs69AFMGE5

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 22, 2016

Bloomberg believes that the fake stories, and many others from different authors, are penned by Musk’s competitors who are angered by his diverse business interests and ability to attract government funding. “It seems like he’s got a lot of people who don’t like him,” says Brian Walsh, a partner with Rokk Solutions, a Washington, D.C., communications firm.

At least Musk is taking it all with good humor. At the start of the year, a customer found his order for a Tesla Model X had been canceled by the company after he published a “rude” open letter criticizing the CEO.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/67176-elon-musk-hits-out-trolls-writing-fake-stories.html

 

[Cycloid Torus]

"what is strange is that Shepard Stewart isn’t a real person. Gavin Wax, editor-in-chief of the Liberty Conservative, said he is definitely a fake, and “went totally dark on us after we published him.”

Good job of fact checking, Mr. Wax.

 

[lipe123]

"what is strange is that Shepard Stewart isn’t a real person. Gavin Wax, editor-in-chief of the Liberty Conservative, said he is definitely a fake, and “went totally dark on us after we published him.”

Good job of fact checking, Mr. Wax.

No wonder fake news is such an issue!
I bet in the nearby future theOnion will be quoted as truth everywhere as well.

 

[captaincranky]

Well, when you come right down to it, Elon Musk isn't a "real person" either.

IMHO, he's more or less a, "blabbermouth doll", spouting everyone else in the scientific and literary communities ideas, and claiming them as his own. This is done with the gale force sirocco he produces at his press conferences. Then, he siphons their wallets empty when he inhales.

 

[Cycloid Torus]

Then, he siphons their wallets empty when he inhales.

And there I was, hoping you had bought 1,000 shares at $52.

 

[captaincranky]

And there I was, hoping you had bought 1,000 shares at $52.

Musk is, inexplicably, the only person who can lose a quarter billion dollars in a fiscal quarter of doing business, and have the price of the stock go up at the same time.

Oh wait, he announced a "new car". A car which doesn't and can't exist yet, as he simply hasn't firmed up where it will be built. So, I guess you could say, at least at the moment, "it's not an electric car, it runs on hot air".

Possibly you could cut him a check for a deposit, which in turn, would make the value of your stock holdings go up. (y)

Bullsh!t is still bullsh!t, be it profitable or otherwise.

Then I believe, he cashed in a billion dollars worth of Space X, (actually Tesla stock after autopilot crash). stock when their rocket blew up. (IIRC, & if I heard correctly. That could use a fact check (*)). Should I have had more faith in him than he did in himself?

(*) And here it is:

"The company is seeing a slew of negative headlines after a Tesla in autopilot mode collided with a truck in Florida. The driver, Joshua Brown, became the first known person to be killed in a self-driving car. Now, Fortune Magazine is criticizing Tesla's CEO Elon Musk for not telling investors about the fatality until several weeks after he and the company sold more than $2 billion worth of Tesla stock".

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/ceo-elo...-over-autopilot-crash-death-fortune-magazine/

 

[wiyosaya]

"what is strange is that Shepard Stewart isn’t a real person. Gavin Wax, editor-in-chief of the Liberty Conservative, said he is definitely a fake, and “went totally dark on us after we published him.”

Good job of fact checking, Mr. Wax.

No wonder fake news is such an issue!
I bet in the nearby future theOnion will be quoted as truth everywhere as well.

Well maybe you already know this, but theOnion has already been quoted as truth many times - http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/09/29/fooled-by-the-onion-8-most-embarrassing-fails.html

Musk is not one of my personal favorites, however, he should go after people that spread fake news about him.

 

[captaincranky]

...[ ]....Musk is not one of my personal favorites, however, he should go after people that spread fake news about him.

Unfortunately, the truthful news about Musk and his companies is often worse than the stories people are fabricating. It's just that no one seems to be willing to accept that...

 

[Cycloid Torus]

Better 'truth' than 'truthiness'.

 

[petert]

When Elon Musk is gonna sue his behind into oblivion, he is going to claim free speech rights.

 

[Phr3d]

"Gavin Wax, editor-in-chief of the Liberty Conservative, said he is definitely a fake, and “went totally dark on us after we published him.”

why bother with the reference, it's not like his readership remotely cares if Gavin's facts are in order..
that's SO last millenia..
just keep it LOUD, Gavin, so I feel justified in parroting LOUD in all the many places I go (see assorted posters here, lol - the ignore button is your friend, but you Must remain in forum mode for the Tonka and his endless hoard to disappear... forever -- and You have to remember that the people that are responding to the ignored are Not talking to themselves hehe, they just haven't resigned themselves to the futility of debate with the self-ordained)

 

[mbrowne5061]

Safe money is Cranky is Shepard Stewart, and he is just doing it out of boredom and for the giggles.