Musk announces 'general amnesty' for suspended Twitter accounts

Twitter owner Elon Musk on Thursday announced that he would grant "a general amnesty" to accounts suspended from the platform, to take place next week.

The billionaire had sounded out public opinion on the proposal in an online poll, asking "[s]hould Twitter offer a general amnesty to suspended accounts, provided that they have not broken the law or engaged in egregious spam?"

Following a decisive 72.4% response in the affirmative, Musk opted to follow through on the pardon, saying "[t]he people have spoken. Amnesty begins next week. Vox Populi, Vox Dei."

The Latin phrase recalls the motto of Whig politicians from the 18th Century, and is translated as "The voice of the people is the voice of God." It is an admonition against the divine right of kings and gained traction following the ouster of the House of Stuart in England.

Musk has previously used Twitter polls to make major decisions about the platform's management, including the reinstatement of former President Donald Trump's account.