Elon Musk's X Blocks Links To Signal App As Federal Workers Turn To Encrypted Messaging Amid DOGE Fallout: Report

Elon Musk's X, formerly Twitter, is blocking links to Signal.me, a URL shortener used by the private messaging app Signal.

What Happened: Users attempting to share Signal.me links via public posts, direct messages, or profile pages on X are now encountering errors. This was first reported by the blog Disruptionist.

Musk has previously endorsed the Signal app, significantly boosting its downloads.

X did not immediately respond to Benzinga's request for comments.

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Why It's Important: Musk, a self-proclaimed free speech advocate, has previously also faced criticism for restricting content and accounts that challenge his views or business interests. 

This latest development also coincides with the Department of Government Efficiency or DOGE, a federal cost-cutting initiative backed by Musk, moving to slash budgets and eliminate agencies such as USAID, noted TechCrunch.

Nearly 10,000 federal employees have reportedly been fired, leaving some to rely on Signal's encrypted messaging for secure communication.

Image via Shutterstock

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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.