Tag Archives: Twitter

Twitter Removes Policy Section On Misinformation

The Hill reports: Twitter’s rules under new CEO Elon Musk published Monday do not include policies about misinformation. Musk said the rules will “evolve over time,” but as they stand Monday they appear to offer a more bare skeleton of safety policies than what existed before. The new rules do prohibit action such as the glorification of violence, promotion of …

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Musk Calls On Americans To Vote Republican Tomorrow

Musk’s crusade to punish his critics continues: New Twitter boss Elon Musk has urged Americans to vote for Republican candidates in Tuesday’s midterm elections. It’s widely expected that the Republicans will seize control of the House of Representatives in tomorrow’s key ballot but the Senate, which has just 100 members, is thought to be on a knife-edge with several close …

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Musk Threatens To Sue Groups That Call For Boycott

CNBC reports: While Elon Musk complains publicly about advertisers abandoning Twitter due to activist pressure, a coalition of civil rights groups is escalating a call for brands to halt spending on the platform in light of what they see as inflammatory rhetoric and problematic policy changes from the company’s new owner. The coalition, dubbed #StopToxicTwitter, consists of organizations including Media …

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Twitter Bans Kathy Griffin For Impersonating Elon Musk

The Insider reports: Twitter suspended comedian Kathy Griffin’s account on Sunday evening after she jokingly pretended to be Elon Musk on the platform and mocked him in several tweets. Griffin now joins a range of several celebrities and figures who had their Twitter handles suspended for parodying Musk. A week earlier, the billionaire had declared that “comedy is now legal …

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Twitter Asks Some Fired Employees To Come Back

Bloomberg News reports: Twitter Inc., after laying off roughly half the company on Friday following Elon Musk’s $44 billion acquisition, is now reaching out to dozens of employees who lost their jobs and asking them to return. Some of those who are being asked to return were laid off by mistake, according to two people familiar with the moves. Others …

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Twitter Formally Rolls Out Sales Of $8 Check Marks

Bloomberg News reports: Twitter Inc. has started giving users who sign up for $8 a month a verified check mark, days after owner Elon Musk floated the idea of a new verification system. “Power to the people,” Twitter said in the version notes for its latest update that was released Saturday. “Your account will get a blue checkmark, just like …

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Celebs Impersonate Musk To Mock $8 Verification

Yahoo News reports: As Twitter’s system for verifying that people really are who they say they are now requires a $7.99/month fee, celebrities who already had a blue checkmark, including “One Day at a Time” actress Valerie Bertinelli changed their names on the platform to “Elon Musk” as a subtle protest. Vanity Fair TV critic Sonia Saraiya also changed her …

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Twitter Chaos Sends Some Users To Mastodon Platform

CNN reports: In the week since Elon Musk took over Twitter, the number of people signing up for a small social network called Mastodon has surged. You may not have heard of Mastodon, which has been around since 2016, but now it’s growing rapidly. Some are fleeing Twitter for it or at least seeking out a second place to post …

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Musk Vows To “Name And Shame” Fleeing Advertisers

The Daily Beast reports: Elon Musk is threatening to “name and shame” advertisers who have hit pause on Twitter while his takeover of the social media platform sows chaos. The idea, apparently, is that Musk’s fans would boycott those companies until they agree to start funneling ad bucks to Twitter again. The billionaire’s vow seems unlikely to calm corporate jitters …

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Please Clap: Musk Urges Wealthy Crowd To Use Twitter

The Insider reports: Elon Musk joked about overpaying for Twitter during a surprise appearance at a conference for wealthy people in New York City as his new social media company started mass layoffs. Speaking at the Baron Investment Conference, an annual extravaganza for well-heeled clients of Baron Capital, the billionaire entrepreneur admitted that he paid too much for the social …

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REPORT: Elon Musk Fires Entire Misinformation Team

The Verge reports: Elon Musk has now purged roughly half of Twitter’s 7,500 employee base, leaving whole teams totally or near-completely gutted, including those tasked with defending against election misinformation ahead of the US midterms next week, The Verge has learned. The areas of Twitter impacted the most by Musk’s cuts include its product trust and safety, policy, communications, tweet …

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Elon Musk: Activists Are Trying To Destroy Free Speech

The Independent reports: Elon Musk took to Twitter to publicly air his grievances against so-called “activists” drawing advertisers away from his newly purchased social media platform, who he claimed were cutting into the company’s bottom line. Mr Musk’s venting arrives as a wave of progressive leaders and celebrities have raised concerns about the potential for abuse on the platform under …

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Employees Sue As Twitter Begins Mass Layoffs, Email To Staffers Says Don’t Come In Today, You Might Be Fired

The New York Times reports: Elon Musk will begin laying off Twitter employees on Friday, according to a companywide email, culling the social media service’s 7,500-person work force a little over a week after completing his blockbuster buyout. Twitter employees were notified in the email that the layoffs were set to begin, according to a copy of the message seen …

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More Major Companies Pause Advertising On Twitter

The Wall Street Journal reports: Food company General Mills, Oreo maker Mondelez International, Pfizer, Volkswagen, and Audi are among a growing list of brands that have temporarily paused their Twitter advertising in the wake of the takeover of the company by Elon Musk, according to people familiar with the matter. Some advertisers are concerned that Mr. Musk could scale back …

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Fox Hosts: Embarrassing To Pay For Twitter Checkmark

Mediaite reports: Fox News anchors Dana Perino and Kat Timpf agreed on Thursday that paying Twitter to keep their blue checkmarks would be “embarrassing.” “Would you pay $8 for it?” asked Perino. “I think it’s embarrassing to pay $8 for it,” shot back Timpf. “I do too. I don’t think I’m going to do it,” added Perino, concluding, “I’ve been …

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Analysis: How Musk’s Management Style Is Like Trump

Axios reports: Musk’s first days as Twitter CEO have such a familiar feel because the world’s richest man is leading his new company from the same playbook Trump used as he tried to change the U.S. government’s direction after his 2017 inauguration: Rely on an inner circle chosen for loyalty more than expertise; seize and hold the public’s attention by …

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Bloomberg: Musk To Cut Half Of Twitter’s Workforce

Bloomberg News reports: Elon Musk plans to eliminate about 3,700 jobs at Twitter Inc., or half of the social media company’s workforce, in a bid to drive down costs following his $44 billion acquisition, according to people with knowledge of the matter. Twitter’s new owner aims to inform affected staffers Friday, said the people, who requested anonymity discussing non-public plans. …

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Musk: Banned Users Won’t Return Until After Midterms

The Daily Beast reports: Elon Musk vowed early Wednesday that Twitter would not allow any banned accounts back on the site for weeks, meaning that Donald Trump and others will not return to the platform ahead of the midterm elections on Nov. 8. Musk, who completed his $44 billion takeover of Twitter last week, said he is building a content …

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Rights Groups Push Advertisers To Pressure Twitter

Business Insider reports: In response to Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter, 40 justice organizations and media watchdog groups on Tuesday sent a letter to top advertisers on the social platform, urging them to push Musk to embrace content moderation or boycott Twitter entirely. “We, the undersigned organizations, call on you to notify Musk and publicly commit that you will cease …

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Musk Condemns Twitter’s “Lords And Peasants” Blue Check System, Offers To Sell Verification For $8/Month

CNN Business reports: After facing criticism for his plan to charge Twitter users $19.99 a month to get or keep a verified account, Elon Musk has a counteroffer. Musk on Tuesday said he planned to charge $8 a month for Twitter’s subscription service, called “Twitter Blue,” with the promise to let anyone pay to receive a coveted blue check mark …

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