X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, temporarily suspended independent journalist Ken Klippenstein on Thursday after he shared a leaked vetting document related to Sen. JD Vance. The 271-page dossier, reportedly from a hack of Donald Trump’s campaign, contained sensitive details compiled by the Trump campaign during Vance's consideration as a potential running mate.
Klippenstein posted the document on his Substack, explaining that it was of significant public interest in an election season. He asserted that, to his knowledge, the dossier hadn’t been altered and invited readers to verify its contents. However, the document included personal information such as Vance's home address, phone number, and a large portion of his Social Security number, violating X's private data sharing policy.
X suspended Klippenstein’s account under its hacked materials policy, which was in place before Elon Musk acquired the platform. A spokesperson for X confirmed that Klippenstein’s suspension was related to posting unredacted private details, specifically Vance’s addresses and Social Security number. Klippenstein did not respond to Axios' request for comment.
This incident reflects broader concerns over Musk's handling of content moderation on X. Despite his public advocacy for free speech, Musk has made controversial decisions regarding suspending journalists' accounts. The case also mirrors earlier disputes, such as Twitter’s controversial restriction of a New York Post story about Hunter Biden in 2020, which led to revisions in the platform’s hacked materials policy. Under those changes, content is only removed if shared by hackers or those working with them, and flagged posts are labeled rather than blocked entirely.
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