AUSTIN, Texas — Editor's note: Austin and Travis County leaders announced on March 6 that SXSW has been canceled.
Twitter is banning all "non-critical" travel due to the worldwide spread of the coronavirus, and according to Market Watch, that means the social media giant's CEO will no longer speak at the South by Southwest Festival in Austin.
His name is no longer listed on the festival's online schedule.
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A blog published by Twitter on March 1 said that on Feb. 29, the company informed staff and partners that they are suspending all non-critical business travel and events. The company's policy will continue until the World Health Organization or Centers for Disease Control finds it appropriate to "step back from pandemic precautionary measures" or when a vaccine becomes available, Twitter said.
"Our goal is to reduce the risk that anyone at Twitter might contract or inadvertently spread the virus. It is important that we take these proactive steps to protect ourselves and others and minimize the spread of COVID-19," the blog post stated.
Due to this policy, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey will not speak at SXSW in Austin, a festival that brings hundreds of thousands of people from all over the world.
Thousands have signed a petition calling SXSW to cancel the 2020 event as the coronavirus continues to spread. While a China Gathering program at SXSW 2020 has already been canceled over coronavirus concerns, SXSW said they have no plan to call off the festival this year.
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