Elon Musk tweeted Sunday that Twitter will permanently suspend any account on the social media platform that impersonates another.
The platformB次元官网网址檚 new owner issued the warning after some celebrities changed their Twitter display names B次元官网网址� not their account names B次元官网网址� and tweeted as B次元官网网址楨lon MuskB次元官网网址� in reaction to the billionaireB次元官网网址檚 decision to offer verified accounts to all comers for $8 month as he simultaneously laid off a big chunk of the workforce.
B次元官网网址淕oing forward, any Twitter handles engaging in impersonation without clearly specifying B次元官网网址減arodyB次元官网网址� will be permanently suspended,B次元官网网址� Musk wrote. While Twitter previously issued warnings before suspensions, now that it is rolling out B次元官网网址渨idespread verification, there will be no warning.B次元官网网址�
In fact, B次元官网网址渁ny name change at allB次元官网网址� would compel the temporary loss of a verified checkmark, the worldB次元官网网址檚 richest man said.
had her account suspended Sunday after she switched her screen name to Musk. She told a Bloomberg reporter that she had also used his profile photo.
B次元官网网址淚 guess not ALL the content moderators were let go? Lol,B次元官网网址� Griffin joked afterward on Mastodon, an alternative social media platform where she set up an account last week.
Actor Valerie Bertinelli had similarly appropriated MuskB次元官网网址檚 screen name B次元官网网址� posting a series of tweets in support of Democratic candidates on Saturday before switching back to her true name. B次元官网网址淥key-dokey. IB次元官网网址檝e had fun and I think I made my point,B次元官网网址� she tweeted afterwards.
Before the stunt, Bertinelli noted the original purpose of the blue verification checkmark. It was granted free of charge to people whose identity Twitter employees had confirmed; with journalists accounting for a big portion of recipients. B次元官网网址淚t simply meant your identity was verified. Scammers would have a harder time impersonating you,B次元官网网址� Bertinelli noted.
B次元官网网址淭hat no longer applies. Good luck out there!B次元官网网址� she added.
The $8 verified accounts are MuskB次元官网网址檚 way of democratizing the service, he claims. On Saturday, a Twitter update for iOS devices listed on AppleB次元官网网址檚 app store said users who B次元官网网址渟ign up nowB次元官网网址� for the new B次元官网网址淭witter Blue with verificationB次元官网网址� can get the blue check next to their names B次元官网网址渏ust like the celebrities, companies and politicians you already follow.B次元官网网址�
It said the service would first be available in the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the U.K. However, it was not available Sunday and there was no indication when it would roll go live. A Twitter employ, Esther Crawford, told The Associated Press it is coming B次元官网网址渟oon but it hasnB次元官网网址檛 launched yet.B次元官网网址�
Twitter did not respond on Sunday to an email seeking comment on the verified accounts issue and GriffinB次元官网网址檚 suspension.
Musk later tweeted, B次元官网网址淭witter needs to become by far the most accurate source of information about the world. ThatB次元官网网址檚 our mission.B次元官网网址�
If the company were to strip current verified users of blue checks B次元官网网址� something that hasnB次元官网网址檛 happened B次元官网网址� that could exacerbate disinformation on the platform during TuesdayB次元官网网址檚 midterm elections.
Like Griffin, some Twitter users have already begun migrating from the platform B次元官网网址� Counter Social is another popular alternative B次元官网网址� following that reportedly affected about half of TwitterB次元官网网址檚 7,500-employee workforce. They fear a breakdown of moderation and verification could create a disinformation free-for-all on what has been the internetB次元官网网址檚 main conduit for reliable communications from public agencies and other institutions.
Many out of concern it could become more unruly under Musk.
Yoel Roth, TwitterB次元官网网址檚 head of safety and integrity, sought to assuage such concerns in a tweet Friday. He said the companyB次元官网网址檚 front-line content moderation staff was the group least affected by the job cuts.
late Friday that there was no choice but to cut jobs B次元官网网址渨hen the company is losing over $4M/day.B次元官网网址� He did not provide details on the daily losses at Twitter and said employees who lost their jobs were offered three monthsB次元官网网址� pay as severance.
Frank Bajak, The Associated Press
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