Elon Musk tweeted Sunday that Twitter will permanently suspend any account on the social media platform that impersonates another.
The platform含羞草研究社檚 new owner issued the warning after some celebrities changed their Twitter display names 含羞草研究社� not their account names 含羞草研究社� and tweeted as 含羞草研究社楨lon Musk含羞草研究社� in reaction to the billionaire含羞草研究社檚 decision to offer verified accounts to all comers for $8 month as he simultaneously laid off a big chunk of the workforce.
含羞草研究社淕oing forward, any Twitter handles engaging in impersonation without clearly specifying 含羞草研究社減arody含羞草研究社� will be permanently suspended,含羞草研究社� Musk wrote. While Twitter previously issued warnings before suspensions, now that it is rolling out 含羞草研究社渨idespread verification, there will be no warning.含羞草研究社�
In fact, 含羞草研究社渁ny name change at all含羞草研究社� would compel the temporary loss of a verified checkmark, the world含羞草研究社檚 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.
含羞草研究社淚 guess not ALL the content moderators were let go? Lol,含羞草研究社� Griffin joked afterward on Mastodon, an alternative social media platform where she set up an account last week.
Actor Valerie Bertinelli had similarly appropriated Musk含羞草研究社檚 screen name 含羞草研究社� posting a series of tweets in support of Democratic candidates on Saturday before switching back to her true name. 含羞草研究社淥key-dokey. I含羞草研究社檝e had fun and I think I made my point,含羞草研究社� 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. 含羞草研究社淚t simply meant your identity was verified. Scammers would have a harder time impersonating you,含羞草研究社� Bertinelli noted.
含羞草研究社淭hat no longer applies. Good luck out there!含羞草研究社� she added.
The $8 verified accounts are Musk含羞草研究社檚 way of democratizing the service, he claims. On Saturday, a Twitter update for iOS devices listed on Apple含羞草研究社檚 app store said users who 含羞草研究社渟ign up now含羞草研究社� for the new 含羞草研究社淭witter Blue with verification含羞草研究社� can get the blue check next to their names 含羞草研究社渏ust like the celebrities, companies and politicians you already follow.含羞草研究社�
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 含羞草研究社渟oon but it hasn含羞草研究社檛 launched yet.含羞草研究社�
Twitter did not respond on Sunday to an email seeking comment on the verified accounts issue and Griffin含羞草研究社檚 suspension.
Musk later tweeted, 含羞草研究社淭witter needs to become by far the most accurate source of information about the world. That含羞草研究社檚 our mission.含羞草研究社�
If the company were to strip current verified users of blue checks 含羞草研究社� something that hasn含羞草研究社檛 happened 含羞草研究社� that could exacerbate disinformation on the platform during Tuesday含羞草研究社檚 midterm elections.
Like Griffin, some Twitter users have already begun migrating from the platform 含羞草研究社� Counter Social is another popular alternative 含羞草研究社� following that reportedly affected about half of Twitter含羞草研究社檚 7,500-employee workforce. They fear a breakdown of moderation and verification could create a disinformation free-for-all on what has been the internet含羞草研究社檚 main conduit for reliable communications from public agencies and other institutions.
Many out of concern it could become more unruly under Musk.
Yoel Roth, Twitter含羞草研究社檚 head of safety and integrity, sought to assuage such concerns in a tweet Friday. He said the company含羞草研究社檚 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 含羞草研究社渨hen the company is losing over $4M/day.含羞草研究社� He did not provide details on the daily losses at Twitter and said employees who lost their jobs were offered three months含羞草研究社� pay as severance.
Frank Bajak, The Associated Press
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