Elon Musk’s Twitter has wrongly labeled the BBC as “government funded”.
The social media network has officially made the switch @BBC account after sparking controversy in recent days by adding a similar tag to the NPR account.
The BBC account has 2.2 million followers. At the time of publication, the BBC’s news accounts on Twitter do not carry the “government-funded” label.
The BBC is not funded by the UK government. It is funded by the British public through a system known as royalties.
The government has a role in setting the level of the license fee, but the fee is collected by the companies hired by the BBC through the TV Licensing Authority.
The BBC’s activities and editorial decisions are completely independent of the government.
Musk would have an argument for marking the @BBCWorldService account as government funded, as the government provides some funding for non-UK audiences. The @BBC account does not tweet about World Service operations.
Deadline reached out to Twitter for comment. The company’s press account automatically responded with a poop emoji. The BBC has been contacted for comment.
Source: Deadline
Elizabeth Cabrera is an author and journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a talent for staying up-to-date on the latest news and trends, Elizabeth is dedicated to delivering informative and engaging articles that keep readers informed on the latest developments.
