‘Be better’: Elon Musk fact-checked by CNN for fake headline on Twitter

Elon Musk: Elon Musk was, however, fact-checked on his own platform as CNN shared a screengrab of the headline.

Twitter owner Elon Musk shared an image of a fabricated headline by CNN seemingly taking a dig at the network.

“Elon Musk could threaten free speech on Twitter by literally allowing people to speak freely,” read the headline of a months-old story which showed the image of CNN anchor Don Lemon.

Elon Musk was, however, fact-checked on his own platform as CNN shared a screengrab of the headline along with readers’ context saying: “The screencap in this image is not real and originated from a satirical website.”

“CNN aired no such report about Musk ‘threatening free speech’ and the chyron has been digitally altered to add the text,” it said.

“This headline never appeared on CNN,” CNN’s PR department wrote to Elon Musk.

“Be better,” it added.

Following this Elon Musk downplayed it by saying “Lmaoooo” as he appreciated Twitter’s community notes for flagging the fake news post.

Elon Musk was then widely mocked for sharing a fake news screengrab.

“ Haha the ‘reader context.’ LOLOLOL ,” wrote journalist Sharyl Attkisson.

“Twitter’s remaining fact-checker has attached a note explaining that this is a fake headline,” wrote another user.