LAX Weather Bot I just returned to my account, and seeing that I had a few new followers, followed them back. For reasons that I'm sure will never be explained to me in any sane sort of way, I was instantly locked out of my account, told that my activity was suspicious and presented with an ...

LAX Weather Bot ... an Arkose Challenge. If you ever get presented with one of those, be sure to choose the auditory challenge. It has the virtue of being possible to pass. After I correctly identified the sound of bees, I got this message.

LAX Weather Bot "Thank you for addressing this issue. Your account is now available for use. To prevent future lockouts or account suspension, please review the X Rules and help us maintain a safe environment for everyone on X."

LAX Weather Bot As a matter of undebatable, objective fact, I had broken no rules. This failed a basic sanity test. But I still got a label attached to my account that I'm told will reduce my reach for a while. The motivation for this bizarre action seems obvious.

LAX Weather Bot I've been following a lot of NOAA accounts, and accounts of the sort of scientists who would be likely to work with the NOAA.

LAX Weather Bot Elmo ... pardon me, Elon Musk, the owner of Twitter AND the head of the so-called Department of Governmental Efficiency (DOGE) has targeted the NOAA for cuts.

LAX Weather Bot This has delighted some of his pre-mitotic fans, who've insisted that there's no need for anybody to study the atmosphere, because those silly scientists can just watch the weather reports like everybody else. I swear I'm not making that up.

LAX Weather Bot This is the sort of following that Trump tends to build up around himself - the sort of overconfident i d i o t s who will proudly tell others about their "alpha male" mentalities. The rest of us would probably call them "incels."

LAX Weather Bot I follow these accounts of people unlikely to support Elon in his attempt to kiss up to the anti-intellectual wing of the Republican party, and the next time I come back, boom! Petty harassment and censorship lite.

LAX Weather Bot The message is clear, and I'm stunned by the pettiness of it, but I know what to do. I'm sure that you can see the homepage link on my profile. That takes you to a blog on Automattic. Following me there is a good idea, because Elmo has no power, there.

LAX Weather Bot I'm going to set up an account over on Bluesky, and maybe some on Mastodon and Minds, mirroring this one. If Musk locks me out, I'll just continue posting on those other sites.

LAX Weather Bot Bluesky is not a perfect site, but it seems to be a lot friendlier, more rational, more pro-Science and a lot less pro-MAGA, and to be blunt, pro-neo-Naziism and pro-flat earth than Twitter has gotten to be.

LAX Weather Bot For the record, I haven't unfollowed anybody. As has been pointed out in the past, when one's account is locked, Twitter creates the illusion that one has unfollowed everybody, and this usually costs the holder of the locked account a large number of followers.

LAX Weather Bot Please be aware of the fact that Twitter plays these games, and has been playing these games for years. If I'm unhappy with you, I'll say something. Just walking away quietly is usually not my style, unless I'm trying to get away from somebody who is c r a z y or e v i l.

LAX Weather Bot Please don't be taken in by the illusion.