Tag Archives: twitter

Elon Musk and X Settle Temporarily with Relaxed Twitter Employee

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Elon Musk and his social media platform X reached a provisional agreement with a former Twitter employee on Wednesday, concluding years of legal disputes regarding retirement benefits. The ex-staff member was pursuing $500 million in a proposed class action lawsuit against the billionaire.

A court filing issued on Wednesday indicated that the involved parties have in principle come to a settlement agreement and requested a postponement of the case while they finalize the terms. The details of the interim agreement remain undisclosed, leaving it uncertain what amount of compensation the former employee might receive.

Former Twitter employees, led by Courtney McMillian and Ronald Cooper, contended that the firm inadequately paid retirement benefits to thousands of workers following significant layoffs. After Musk took over Twitter in 2022, he eliminated over 6,000 positions as part of a workforce overhaul, notably impacting nearly all divisions, including content moderation and communications. The layoffs triggered several ongoing lawsuits from both staff and executives, highlighting Musk’s vision of “government efficiency” during the government’s recent upheaval.

The lawsuit asserts that according to the 2019 retirement plan, employees were entitled to at least two months’ salary and additional compensation based on their tenure. However, Musk allegedly failed to adhere to the contract, at times leaving employees without any compensation.

The interim settlement marks a shift from last year when a US district judge dismissed McMillian’s case, favoring Musk. In July, Judge Trina Thompson ruled that the Federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) did not cover the former employee’s claims, necessitating an appeal to a higher court.

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Musk’s $44 billion acquisition of Twitter, which was later rebranded to X, continues to be a contentious business venture. Twitter executives, including former CEO Parag Agrawal, are also involved in lawsuits against Musk concerning allegations of his failure to pay $128 million in severance.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Former President of Twitter Vows to Take Action Against Elon Musk if Troubles Continue – Bruce Daisley

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TThe current social media trend is familiar, with self-absorbed individuals posting excessively on the platforms they dominate, a scenario we’ve seen play out in the past. Donald Trump’s incendiary tweets post-election loss resulted in the Capitol siege on January 6, 2021. Following this, the then-president was banned from Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and even Pinterest, disappointing those aiming to emulate the Mar-a-Lago style on their mood boards.

The situation is likely to evolve differently this time, especially with social media provocateur Elon Musk at the helm of the platform he utilizes.

The two are set to engage on Monday, with Musk engaging directly with the former president. “An entertaining encounter is anticipated”.

During Trump’s tenure, I was stationed at Twitter as its highest-ranking official outside the U.S. Over my eight-year tenure, it became apparent that there was a disparity in the interpretation of free speech between the UK and the U.S., with the latter often championing a libertarian outlook on the concept.

As the UK subsidiary of an American entity, we witnessed a daily fervent defense of free speech. Twitter’s founding legal advisor, Alex MacGillivray, famously dubbed the company as “the free speech wing of the free speech party.” While the U.S. often assumes its freedoms are unique, the UK’s Human Rights Act of 1998 guarantees freedom of speech while also acknowledging its responsibility, stressing that it should not be used to incite criminal activities or spread hatred.

For American tech firms, the interpretation of “free speech” varies. During my tenure at Twitter under a more enlightened leadership, the UK team quickly realized that the Silicon Valley notion of “free speech” wasn’t always geared towards fostering an ideal world. Instead, it often allowed certain groups to target marginalized sections of society, such as women, the LGBTQ+ community, and ethnic minorities, with impunity, detracting from the platform’s original enjoyable nature.

Working within the UK office felt akin to operating within a parliamentary system devoid of a written constitution, relying more on external expectations to shape the organization’s direction.

Efforts to brand “free speech” as a philosophical conviction notwithstanding, its appeal to tech companies is primarily economic. As journalist Kara Swisher notes, Silicon Valley’s approach is more profit-driven than principle-based, evidenced by the support for Trump within San Francisco’s venture capital realm. Holding tech oligarchs accountable for their platforms’ content is feasible and necessary.

Considerations around Musk’s tweets often offer insights into his actions. For instance, his posts on social media platforms like Instagram highlight his late-night musings, providing clues about his mindset and geographic location. Musk’s propensity for controversial posts and real-world ramifications underscores the need for accountability on social media platforms.

The discussion centers on whether billionaire oligarchs like Musk should be allowed to influence societal discourse unchecked. Calls for regulation and accountability in the social media landscape are imperative to address the challenges posed by influential figures like Musk.

  • Bruce Daisley served as Twitter’s vice president for Europe, Middle East, and Africa from 2012 to 2020.

  • If you have any comments on the topics discussed in this article and wish to submit a response of up to 300 words for publication in our Letters section, please click here.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Former Twitter CEO calls for Elon Musk’s arrest for provoking riots in the UK

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A former Twitter executive has suggested that Elon Musk should be subject to “personal sanctions” and the possibility of an “arrest warrant” if he is found to be disrupting public order on his social media platform.

Bruce Daisley, Twitter’s former vice president for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, expressed in the Guardian that it is unfair to let tech billionaires like Musk tamper with discord without facing personal consequences.

He urged Chancellor Keir Starmer to toughen online safety laws and assess whether media regulator Ofcom is equipped to handle fast-moving individuals like Musk.

Daisley emphasized that the threat of personal sanctions is more effective against executives than the risk of corporate fines, as it could impact the lavish lifestyles of tech billionaires.

The UK government has urged social media platforms to act responsibly following recent riots, attributing them to false information spread online, including claims about asylum seekers.

Musk’s inflammatory posts, such as predicting civil war in the UK, have garnered criticism from government officials, with some calling his remarks unacceptable.

Daisley, who worked at Twitter from 2012 to 2020, described Musk as someone who behaves like a reckless teenager and suggested that an arrest warrant might make him reconsider his actions.

He emphasized the need for legislation to establish boundaries for acceptable behavior on social media and questioned whether tech billionaires should be allowed to influence society without consequences.

Daisley urged for immediate strengthening of the Online Safety Act 2023 to hold tech executives accountable for their actions and to prioritize democratic governance over the influence of tech billionaires.

He also suggested that views deemed harmful, such as those from individuals like Tommy Robinson, should be removed from platforms under the guidance of regulators like Ofcom.

Daisley concluded that the focus should be on upholding acceptable behavior on social media rather than prioritizing profits, especially when influential tech figures like Musk are involved.

He emphasized the possibility of holding tech billionaires accountable for the content allowed on their platforms and called for stricter measures to prevent abuse of power.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Is Reddit Joining Facebook and Twitter in Becoming Trash?

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L
Like many individuals who were laid off and confined to their homes during the coronavirus lockdown, I found myself devoting endless hours to learning obscure skills that wouldn’t necessarily enhance my resume. Bookbinding, a hobby that surprised many of my acquaintances, became a newfound passion. I’ve never been particularly skilled with my hands, and my life had predominantly revolved around technology and the internet up until that point.

I delved into mastering intricate sewing techniques, learning about adhesive compositions, and discerning the origins of paper by touch. All of this learning took place on the Reddit webpage at a subreddit specifically dedicated to bookbinding. The supportive community of bookbinders generously shared tips and advice on my projects, all at no cost. In my view, it was akin to attending an expensive art school, providing a nurturing environment where I could learn at my own pace without breaking the bank.

Reddit, with over 70 million daily users, hosts a multitude of subreddits catering to diverse interests. From the commonplace discussions on r/politics to the eccentric communities like r/muglife showcasing favorite cups or r/sweetjeans with bizarre denim images, Reddit stands out as an online platform where unique content thrives.

Reddit remains one of the few internet spaces where exploration is unrestricted, allowing users to stumble upon new and intriguing content. However, with impending commercialization looming, Reddit faces challenges in monetizing its platform while maintaining the goodwill of its diverse user base and volunteer moderators.


The impending IPO of Reddit underscores broader implications for the future of the internet, as corporate interests increasingly shape online interactions. While algorithms dominate major platforms, hindering user experience, Reddit’s IPO signifies a shift towards commercialization that may compromise the unique user-generated content that sets it apart.

As Reddit navigates its commercial future, striking a balance between profitability and community interests poses a significant challenge. The platform must address user demands for financial compensation, potential restrictions on NSFW content, and the impact of investor influence on niche subreddits.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Is there a viable alternative to Twitter now that Bluesky is open to the public? | Technology

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If you have received this newsletter for the second time, we apologize. Due to a technical error, it was originally sent with last week's subject line.

Last week, Bluesky opened its doors. After a year in her closed, invite-only beta, anyone who wants to can now sign up for an account with just their email address.

Even if the value of the invitation has dropped somewhat in recent months (I have 5 unused seats, not that I want to try), it's clear there was latent demand. In just two days, the service received more than 1 million new registrations. By the way, since Bluesky released his iOS app last February, it took him over three months to reach his 70,000 user count.

This slow growth has also been a blessing for Blue Sky. On the other hand, the beta did its job, allowing the company to iterate on the service based on feedback from a smaller but more engaged user base than it might otherwise have.

Last year, the company built a suite of moderation tools that enable a “decentralized” approach to social networking, where users can voluntarily opt in or out of content such as nudity, violence, and hate speech. Launching on Android and the web. And by adopting a butterfly as our own version of Twitter's bird, we created a consistent visual identity. Meanwhile, Elon Musk's site destroyed its own visual shorthand in response, replacing some, but not all, Twitter branding with a double-strike 𝕏.

But the slow burn also meant that Bluesky never really got his moment in the sun. For a year now, I've been listening to the words I often hear from new users. It was about getting excited to be granted access to the service, then being disappointed when you realized there was less content than there was in Twitter's heyday.

In some cases, it's a memory trick. A Bluesky feed that follows 50 people will be less crowded than a Twitter feed that follows 500 people, and for many power users of the latter service, everyone they follow will be his 2 Gone are the days when you could ride a decker bus. Many longtime Twitter users probably don't remember what it was like to have a quiet feed or have to find new people to follow. And those things could cause people to push back from new social networks like Bluesky, just as they have bothered many people. I stumble when registering on Twitter itself.

(That's why Facebook's People You May Know feature is so incisive.) The biggest hurdle for social networks isn't getting people to sign up, it's getting people to keep using them. I always know that the trick is to get as many other users to follow as possible…)

Even if you went through the trouble of building a Bluesky account and building a fairly extensive address book, there's no way the service could match the rosy memories of Twitter's heyday. Sure, it's a similar enough experience to curb your craving for the real thing, but it's not compelling enough to make you want more. You post. No one responds. Log off and touch the grass.

Of course, all of this is talking about Bluesky as an early social network. But the company doesn't think that way. Chief Executive Officer Jay Graeber gave several interviews to commemorate the grand opening.she came talk to wired:

We weren't using invites to try to be exclusive. We were using them to manage our growth while building rails, the essential foundation of this new kind of decentralized network.

We needed to build an app protocol, an AT protocol, under Bluesky that allows different developers, companies, and people to come in and change the experience. Some of them will be rolled out soon.

When it's finished, Bluesky's vision is for it to sit somewhere between a full Twitter replacement and a fully decentralized service like Mastodon, the second of the big three social networks after Twitter. . Like Mastodon, the technology behind Bluesky should eventually make that possible. But unlike Mastodon, Bluesky has been less keen to highlight its technical differences with Twitter, as the majority of its users will continue to use its official apps and services for the time being.

And then there's the thread. Meta's Twitter clone is arguably the largest of the three in terms of user numbers alone, but it has made little ripple in broader culture. The site's policy of suppressing political content (according to Threads' platform safety policy, there is no algorithmic promotion) does not solve the problem. There are parallels here with early online culture. Twitter dominates the discussion despite being a fraction of Facebook's size, and so does TikTok despite YouTube having a much larger user base.

Elizabeth Lopat explained the disconnect with The Verge. very accurate classification method I can't do anything but quote her at length.

The silent majority of successful text-based social media sites are lurkers. They are sane, normal people living sane, normal lives… Influencers are building businesses. They are creating #content … The commenter is trying to have a conversation with another human being. They want to be able to have meaningful interactions online, even if they are misplaced. Replyers can be considered the most important subclass of commenters. They are specific. They usually interact with or act on behalf of their favorite Internet users. Finally, prepare your poster (also known as a poster). Posters are necessary for all social networks to function.

The problem that all Twitter alternatives face is that there is an imbalance. Threads is huge, but its user base is hidden and influential. Like Marvel movie audiences, they may consume professionally produced content, but they never form lasting memories. For the past year, Bluesky has been a pure poster child, locked in rooms with each other and unable to get much of the dopamine needed to maintain his frenetic energy. Mastodon is a community of commenters and responders, and while it's possible to have fun chatting, it's decentralized to the point that it's hard to discern conversations that originate from within.

So opening up Bluesky could be the first step toward restoring some of that balance. Posters cannot survive on posters alone. They, and we, need lurkers. Would you like to join us, we have to touch the grass.

Wider Techscape





Waymo self-driving car catches fire in San Francisco.

Photo: Michael Vandy/Reuters

Source: www.theguardian.com

Elon Musk to Testify Again in SEC Investigation of Twitter Takeover

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Elon Musk has been ordered to testify again as part of a U.S. regulatory investigation into his 2022 acquisition of social media platform Twitter (later renamed X).

A California federal court ruling announced on Saturday ordered Tesla and SpaceX chiefs to issue financial statements regarding the date, time and location of interviews after Musk refused to appear at a previous roundtable meeting in September. It gave the company one week to reach an agreement with the Exchange Commission (SEC).

In order, U.S. Magistrate Judge Laurel Beeler Although the parties had agreed on an initial date, “the defendant (Musk) ultimately failed to appear in court and was subpoenaed on the basis that the SEC's investigation was baseless and harassing, seeking irrelevant information.” “I am resisting,” he said.

The SEC filed charges against Musk in October to compel him to testify as part of its investigation into the $44 billion acquisition now known as X. The committee is also seeking testimony from Musk about whether he complied with the law in preparing the required documents regarding his Twitter stock. Including the purchase, as well as whether his statements regarding the purchase of the platform were accurate.

According to the order, Musk's lawyers said he would not appear in court because regulators leaked information to the media. Musk's team also claims the investigation is frivolous, and the government's actions have been plagued by requests for documents and repeated requests for testimony in the face of the investigation “arising from an accidental delay in filing administrative filings.” said.

Beeler denied the allegations in pressing for an interview, saying regulators had the power to issue subpoenas for relevant information. If the SEC and Mr. Musk cannot agree on a date and time for the meeting, Mr. Bieler said he will listen to both sides and make a decision.

The move dates back to Musk's infamous 2018 tweet in which he said “funding is secured” as he tried to take Tesla private.

Regulators argued this was a violation of securities laws that prohibit publicly traded companies from announcing plans to buy or sell securities if executives do not intend to complete, do not have the means to complete, or seek to manipulate stock prices. .

In the settlement, Musk agreed to let Tesla's lawyers review his tweets about the electric car maker. But regulators again sued him a year later for allegedly violating the agreement. Musk later petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to review the agreement, arguing that it violated his right to free speech.

In 2022, regulators asked Musk for information about a delay in disclosing his Twitter stock, but Musk was delayed by a week. He testified twice that year, according to the SEC. Musk claims that the third interview constitutes “harassment” by the government.

This controversy is not the only conflict between Mr. Musk and the government. In November, he lost a bid to prevent the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) from continuing to oversee Company X's handling of personal user data.

Musk called for action from government agencies “This is a shameful incident in which a government agency is weaponized for political purposes and the truth is covered up!”

Source: www.theguardian.com

Twitter War Erupts as Bot Armies Clash over China’s Balloon Incident

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Chinese reconnaissance balloon flies over Canada and the United States just before being shot down over South Carolina in 2023

Joe Granita/ZUMA Presswire/Shutterstock

When Chinese reconnaissance balloons flew over the United States and Canada last year, tens of thousands of bots competed to shape the discussion on Twitter, according to an analysis of social media posts.

Kathleen Curley and Lynette Hui Xiang Ng A research team from Carnegie Mellon University in Pennsylvania tracked approximately 1.2 million tweets posted by more than 120,000 users on Twitter (later renamed to X) between January 31, 2023 and February 22, 2023. did. All tweets included the hashtags #chineseballoon and #weatherballoon and discussed the controversial airborne. The US claimed that China used it for espionage.

Tweets were then located using Twitter's location feature and checked with an algorithm called . bot hunterlook for signs that the account is not managed by a human.

“There are many things going on. [identifying a bot] Examples are whether messages are being sent so fast that a human could literally not type them that fast, or if someone is geotagged for one minute in London, but in New Zealand a person can physically type For example, if it is not possible. Please do that,” says Carly.

Researchers found that about 35 percent of geotagged users in the U.S. exhibited bot-like behavior, while 65 percent appeared to be human. In China, the proportions were reversed, with 64 percent bots and 36 percent humans.

Of the accounts claiming to be from neither country, 42 percent were bots and 58 percent were human. Although reliable numbers are difficult to come by, previous research suggests that 10-20% of Twitter users are bots. The bot autonomously performs tasks such as sending her Twitter messages to users on the platform and “liking” other posts.often used to try influence public opinion.

“We're seeing more bot activity in tweets that appear to be coming from Chinese communities than we are seeing coming from American communities,” Curley said. The overall rate of bot accounts was also higher during the Chinese spy balloon debate than at other events, researchers said.

As an example, a bot based in China posted: “#USA #China #February 14th” […] Some may speculate that the US is using the #China spyballoon “excuse” to escalate tensions with #Beijing. Remember, US airspace is highly controlled and we have more accurate satellite technology for spying. ”

Neither Carley nor Ng would speculate on who might be behind the bot. stephen buckley Researchers at City University of London said: “There is likely to be a mix of state and individual actors seeking to sway and manipulate public opinion regarding breaking news.”

As for whether bot activity has made a difference, Curley said: “The fact that bots speak a little differently to humans means what people were reading will look a little different and future conversations will look different.” Buckley says it's important to be “very wary” of content you post and assume it wasn't posted by a human.

topic:

Source: www.newscientist.com

Blue Sky: A comprehensive guide to Twitter alternatives

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Is the grass greener next door? I’m not sure, but I’m sure the sky is bluer.

It’s been over a year since Elon Musk bought Twitter leading people to set up shop on alternative platforms. mastodon, post, pebble (already Shutter operation) and spill are presented as potential replacements, but few apart from the meta thread have achieved the growth rate that Bluesky has achieved. Bluesky is still invite-only in beta, but the hype is growing as more people visit the site. As you can see from apps like Clubhouse., the hype may not last forever. Meanwhile, Blue Sky has over 1 million users, according to Blue Sky’s Rose Wang. The app saw 8,300 first-time installs per day on average since its release in July 2023, but no substantive updates regarding download data have been released since then. And when Mr. Musk makes less-than-favorable changes to his X, Mr. Bluesky often checks record usage. During the launch of the site, many people asked for invitation codes (which were being bought on eBay) and it became more accessible as more people joined the app. Here we answer the most common questions about Bluesky Social.

What is Blue Sky? Bluesky is a decentralized social app conceptualized by former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey and developed in parallel with Twitter. This social network features a Twitter-like user interface with algorithmic selection, federated design, and community-specific moderation. Bluesky uses open source frameworks built in-house, specifically the AT protocol, which means that people outside the company get transparency into how the company is built and what is being developed. Dorsey introduced the Bluesky project in 2019, when he was still Twitter CEO. At the time, he said Twitter would fund “a small, independent team of up to five open source architects, engineers, and designers” responsible for building decentralized standards for social media, adding that he said the goal is for Twitter itself to adopt this standard. But that was before Elon Musk acquired the platform, and as of late 2022, Bluesky is completely divorced from Twitter. Mr. Dorsey even used Mr. Bluesky to express his dismay with Mr. Musk’s leadership. Twitter is funding a small, independent team of up to five open source architects, engineers, and designers to develop open, decentralized standards for social media. The goal is for Twitter to eventually become a client of this standard. 🧵

How do I use Blue Sky? Once invited, users create a handle represented as @username.bsky.social and a display name that is prominently displayed in bold. If you feel like it, you can turn your domain name into your username. For example, his Darrell Etherington from TechCrunch is known on Bluesky as @etherington.com. The app itself functions a lot like basic Twitter, with the plus button allowing you to create 256-character posts. Posts can also include photos. The post itself can be replied to, retweeted, liked, reported from the Miscellaneous menu, shared to other apps via the iOS share sheet, or copied as text. Search for and follow others to see their latest updates on your Home timeline. Previously, the Bluesky app featured popular posts in the “What’s Hot” feed. That feed is then replaced by an algorithm, Personalized Discover feed, not just trending content. There’s also a Discover tab at the bottom center of the app’s navigation, offering more Who to Follow suggestions and a running feed of recently posted Bluesky updates. Image credits: Natalie Christman

How do I invite someone to Bluesky? New users will receive one invitation code for every two weeks they use the Bluesky app. The company monitors your social graph and further provides invitation codes to share with users, who have invited trusted participants. In the long term, Bluesky says the company considers the invitation code system to be part of the open source tools it is building to help server administrators manage and manage their communities.

Who is in Blue Sky? By early July 2023, instagram thread launched, Bluesky surpasses 1 million downloads across iOS and Android. App was officially released in September 2023 with 1 million users. High-profile figures have moved to Blue Sky, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), Neil Gaiman, and Chelsea Manning. It is also home to organizations and journalists such as. X expulsion NPR, Taylor Lorenz and Jake Tapper.

Does Bluesky work like Twitter? In many ways, yes. However, Bluesky still lacks advanced tools such as DM and adding accounts to lists. In addition, Twitter supports ActivityPub and in Bluesky originally began as a project convened in 2019 when Jack Dorsey was CEO of Twitter. However, the social app has been an independent company since its founding in 2021.

Is Blue Sky free? Yes, but access is currently invite-only.

How does Blue Sky make money? Bluesky’s goal is to find other means to sustain the network outside of advertising through paid services, and to remain free for end users. On July 5, Bluesky announced an additional seed round of funding and a paid service that provides custom domains to end users who want to have their own domain as a handle for the service.

Is Bluesky decentralized? Yes. Bluesky’s team is developing a decentralized AT protocol that Bluesky is built on top of. In the beta stage, users can only join his bsky.social network, but Bluesky is planned to be federated. This means that an infinite number of independently operated communities can exist within an open source network. So if a developer other than Bluesky builds their own new social app using his AT protocol, Bluesky users can jump to the new app and port over their existing followers, handles, and data.

Is Blue Sky safe? In October 2023, Blue Sky added email verification. This is part of a larger effort to improve security and authentication of accounts on our network. This addition is an important step forward in making Bluesky more competitive against larger networks like X with more robust security controls.

Is Bluesky customizable? Yes. In May, Bluesky released custom algorithms, or what the company calls “custom feeds.” Custom His Feed allows users to subscribe to multiple different algorithms that showcase different types of posts that users want to see. You can pin custom feeds that appear at the top of your timeline as different tabs to choose from. Pinned or saved feeds can be found in the app’s sidebar under the “My Feeds” menu.

Is Bluesky available on iOS and Android? Yes. Bluesky is available on Android and was released on April 20th and was initially released for iOS users in late February. Users can access Bluesky on her web here. Bluesky also recently released the following third-party apps: gray sky It will launch on iOS and Android.

Are Bluesky’s posts really called “skeet”? Technically, the post doesn’t have a name, but Internet users have adopted the name “Skeets,” a combination of “tweet” and “sky.” Despite protests from Blue Sky CEO Jay Graeber and other who don’t find the slang for semen funny, users still widely refer to the posts as “skeet.”

How does Blue Sky deal with misinformation? After an October update, the app now flags misleading links and warns users. If a link shared in a user’s post doesn’t match its text, the app will show the user a “potentially misleading” warning that the link may be leading the user somewhere they don’t want to go. Warn you that there is. Image credits: Bluesky on Github

Has Blue Sky had any controversy? Bluesky has been plagued by moderation issues since its initial launch. The app has been criticized for failing to protect marginalized users and moderating racist content. Continue controversy frustrated that the app allows racial slurs in account handles, users launch a “posting strike,” and guardrails are established to warn against slurs and other offensive terms in usernames. refused to engage with the platform until further notice.

What was the “thread of hell”? Basically, too many people were replying to one thread, breaking notifications for everyone in the thread, making it impossible to mute posts, and causing the thread to split in a bunch of different subthreads. It was chaotic. you had to be there.

What is the difference between Blue Sky and Mastodon? Bluesky’s architecture is similar to that of Mastodon, but many users find Bluesky more intuitive, while Mastodon may seem less accessible. Mastodon makes choosing which instances to participate feel like an impossible task, and long-time users are very defensive about established posting standards. , it…

Source: techcrunch.com

Elon Musk’s Debut Year on Twitter: Reflecting on a Year of Turmoil

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Elon Musk’s acquisition of Twitter for $44 billion raised questions about his plans for the social media platform. Musk envisioned transforming Twitter into an “everything app” called X, similar to China’s WeChat, offering a variety of services like online discussions, video calls, podcasts, and even banking. While the idea of creating a platform where free speech is valued might seem noble, the execution has been plagued by poor planning and decision-making.

Musk’s tenure as the owner of Twitter has been turbulent, mirroring his own controversial presence on the platform. He made immediate changes, firing executives and laying off thousands of employees. Advertisers became concerned about Musk’s lax stance on content moderation, leading to a decline in revenue and potential bankruptcy. Musk’s attempt to bolster revenue by offering paid perks like verification ticks and edit buttons backfired when several fake accounts gained verification status, causing confusion among users. Reinstating banned accounts and changing the brand name to X further eroded Twitter’s reputation.

Critics argue that Musk’s plans for Twitter lacked focus and clear vision. While he may have grand ideas, the reality is that Twitter’s purpose was muddled and lost in the process. The company’s value plummeted, and its reputation suffered. The future of X remains uncertain, and if the current state of affairs continues, more users may abandon the platform. Musk’s ambitions for an all-encompassing “super app” like WeChat may be too ambitious and detrimental to the core purpose of Twitter.

Despite the challenges and skepticism surrounding Musk’s ownership of Twitter, for many users, X remains a popular social media platform where real-time updates are crucial. Some experts believe that X could potentially rival other platforms like Mastodon and Meta, offering a more streamlined experience. However, it’s uncertain whether Musk can truly accomplish his vision for X, considering the current state of the platform. While Musk may take credit for the “death of Twitter” and the rise of X, it remains to be seen how far the platform can soar before losing its purpose and losing more users.

Source: news.sky.com

Science and Technology News: Elon Musk’s X (previously known as Twitter) conducts trial to enforce posting fees for new users

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Elon Musk’s X has started testing potential sign-up fees for new users.

The company formerly known as twitter introduced a fee of $1 (82 pence). new zealand And that Philippinesmost of the main features are behind a paywall.

New accounts that do not pay will not be able to post anything or interact directly with other users.

Instead, you are limited to viewing and listening to content and following other accounts.

X said the move was aimed at “reducing spam, platform manipulation, and bot activity.”

musk We have long complained about the presence of fake accounts on the platform; and tried to use his concerns to get out of the contract to buy it last year..

The trials in New Zealand and the Philippines came after the billionaire businessman discussed plans to introduce “small monthly payments” to all users.

Speaking at an event with the Israeli Prime Minister Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Musk said last month that the fee would help fight “a horde of bots.”

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Mr. Musk starts charging fees for using X

Fees will make X “difficult to operate”

Since Musk took ownership of the company, much of his focus has been on monetizing Company X’s user base, with advertiser spending declining due to concerns over his moderation policies. ing.

X already offers a premium subscription for £9.60 per month. This gives users a verification check, allows them to write longer posts or edit existing ones, and gives their account priority visibility in search results.

Musk acknowledged that the new $1 fee “will not completely stop bots,” but argued that it will “make it 1,000 times harder to manipulate the platform.”

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This means that Company X israel-hamas war To spread.

EU officials warned Musk to take actionsaid it violated the block’s new online content rules.

Misleading content includes video game footage purporting to depict scenes of conflict and reusing unrelated war clips.

Later, X announced changes to the Community Notes feature. This allows volunteer posters to attach fact-checks to their posts, making them more visible if other users find them useful.

However, there are concerns that the tool is being manipulated, and all notes must include a source.

Source: news.sky.com