#DeleteFacebook: Elon Musk deletes Facebook pages of Tesla, SpaceX
What's the story
Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has deleted both the companies' Facebook accounts after he responded to WhatsApp co-founder Brian Acton's tweet urging people to support the #deletefacebook movement. Musk's actions came in response to tweets that asked him to delete his own companies' Facebook pages first since he seemed to be supporting Acton's movement. He has deleted his own Facebook page too.
Twitter Post
Seems like Musk had nothing to lose
We’ve never advertised with FB. None of my companies buy advertising or pay famous people to fake endorse. Product lives or dies on its own merits.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 23, 2018
Details
Wasn't even aware that these Facebook pages existed: Elon Musk
When Musk was called out on Twitter, he said that he didn't even know that there were Facebook pages of Tesla and SpaceX and that he had "literally never seen it even once." However, after it came to his knowledge that these official pages indeed existed, he first called them "lame" and then took them down in 20 minutes of the Twitter exchange.
Information
With the move, Musk axed over 5 million Facebook followers
Now, Tesla and SpaceX pages on Facebook direct users to a webpage that displays the message, "Sorry, this content isn't available right now." Prior to their deletion, both the Facebook pages were garnering high engagement with over 2.6 million Likes and Follows each.
Information
However, Tesla, SpaceX and Elon Musk will stay on Instagram
When someone questioned Musk's Instagram engagement, which is a social media platform also owned by Facebook, he said that he didn't mind it as of now. However, Musk added that Instagram was getting "borderline" as Facebook's influence was slowly creeping on to it as well.
Background
Interestingly, Elon Musk and Facebook's rivalry goes back to 2016
Earlier in 2016, a SpaceX rocket had exploded in its launch pad, destroying Facebook's $85-million communication satellite which was its payload. Post the incident, Zuckerberg had shown his displeasure with SpaceX. This can possibly be the reason for Musk being so anti-Facebook. He also tweeted, "My fault for being an idiot. We did give them a free launch to make up for it."