Elon Musk tweeted on Sunday that Twitter will permanently deactivate any account that impersonates another user.
Some celebrities altered their Twitter display names – not their account names – and tweeted as “Elon Musk” in response to the billionaire’s plan to sell verified accounts to anyone for $8 per month while laying off a large portion of his workers.
“All Twitter accounts that engage in impersonation without specifically declaring ‘parody’ will be permanently suspended going forward,” Musk said. Prior to the rollout of “widespread verification,” Twitter offered warnings prior to suspensions. However, with the implementation of “widespread verification,” Twitter will no longer issue warnings.
In the future, Twitter accounts that engage in impersonation without explicitly indicating “parody” will be permanently terminated.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 6, 2022
In fact, the world’s richest man stated that “any name change at all” would necessitate the temporary loss of a confirmed checkmark.
Sunday, Kathy Griffin’s account was deactivated after she changed her screen name to Musk. She disclosed to a Bloomberg reporter that she had also utilized his profile image.
“I suppose not ALL content moderators were terminated? Lol, “Griffin subsequently made a joke on Mastodon, an alternative social networking site for which she created an account last week.
Actress Valerie Bertinelli had similarly hijacked Musk’s screen identity, tweeting in support of Democratic candidates before reverting to her real name on Saturday. “Okey-dokey. I’ve enjoyed myself and believe I’ve made my point “She sent a tweet thereafter.
Bertinelli explained the original function of the blue verification checkmark prior to the stunt. It was granted for free to those whose identities had been confirmed by Twitter personnel. Journalists represented a significant proportion of beneficiaries. “It meant that your identity had been confirmed. Scammers would have a more difficult time posing as you “Bertinelli noted.
“No longer applicable. Best wishes out there! “She continued.
Musk claims that the $8 verified accounts are his way of democratizing the service.
Users who “sign up now” for the new “Twitter Blue with verification” can get the blue check next to their names “exactly like the celebrities, companies, and politicians you currently follow,” according to a Twitter update for iOS devices posted in Apple’s app store on Saturday.
It was stated that the service would first be accessible in the United States, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom. However, it was not accessible on Sunday, and there was no indication of when it might become accessible. Esther Crawford, a Twitter employee, told The Associated Press that it is “coming shortly but has not yet launched.”
Sunday’s email to Twitter requesting comment on the verified accounts issue and Griffin’s ban went unanswered.
Later, Musk tweeted, “Twitter must become by far the most accurate source of global information. That is our objective.”
If the business were to strip current verified users of blue checks, which has not occurred, this may exacerbate misinformation on the site during the midterm elections on Tuesday.
Some Twitter users, like Griffin, have already begun to migrate away from the platform – Counter Social is another popular alternative – as a result of the mass layoffs that occurred on Friday and apparently affected approximately half of Twitter’s 7,500-person workforce. They are concerned that a breakdown in moderation and verification could lead to a disinformation free-for-all on what has been the Internet’s primary channel for trustworthy communications from government agencies and other institutions.
Numerous corporations have suspended advertising on the site out of concern that it may become more disorderly under Musk’s leadership.
Friday, Twitter’s head of safety and integrity, Yoel Roth, attempted to allay such concerns in a message. The least affected group, according to him, was the company’s front-line content moderation team.
Musk tweeted late on Friday that layoffs were inevitable “when the firm is losing over $4 million per day.” He did not reveal specifics about Twitter’s daily layoffs, but he did say that those who lost their jobs were granted three months’ pay as severance.
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