Elon Musk tweeted Sunday that Twitter will permanently suspend any account on the social media platform that impersonates another.
The platform害羞草研究所檚 new owner issued the warning after some celebrities changed their Twitter display names 害羞草研究所� not their account names 害羞草研究所� and tweeted as 害羞草研究所楨lon Musk害羞草研究所� in reaction to the billionaire害羞草研究所檚 decision to offer verified accounts to all comers for $8 month as he simultaneously laid off a big chunk of the workforce.
害羞草研究所淕oing forward, any Twitter handles engaging in impersonation without clearly specifying 害羞草研究所減arody害羞草研究所� will be permanently suspended,害羞草研究所� Musk wrote. While Twitter previously issued warnings before suspensions, now that it is rolling out 害羞草研究所渨idespread verification, there will be no warning.害羞草研究所�
In fact, 害羞草研究所渁ny name change at all害羞草研究所� would compel the temporary loss of a verified checkmark, the world害羞草研究所檚 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.
害羞草研究所淚 guess not ALL the content moderators were let go? Lol,害羞草研究所� 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害羞草研究所檚 screen name 害羞草研究所� posting a series of tweets in support of Democratic candidates on Saturday before switching back to her true name. 害羞草研究所淥key-dokey. I害羞草研究所檝e had fun and I think I made my point,害羞草研究所� 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. 害羞草研究所淚t simply meant your identity was verified. Scammers would have a harder time impersonating you,害羞草研究所� Bertinelli noted.
害羞草研究所淭hat no longer applies. Good luck out there!害羞草研究所� she added.
The $8 verified accounts are Musk害羞草研究所檚 way of democratizing the service, he claims. On Saturday, a Twitter update for iOS devices listed on Apple害羞草研究所檚 app store said users who 害羞草研究所渟ign up now害羞草研究所� for the new 害羞草研究所淭witter Blue with verification害羞草研究所� can get the blue check next to their names 害羞草研究所渏ust like the celebrities, companies and politicians you already follow.害羞草研究所�
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 害羞草研究所渟oon but it hasn害羞草研究所檛 launched yet.害羞草研究所�
Twitter did not respond on Sunday to an email seeking comment on the verified accounts issue and Griffin害羞草研究所檚 suspension.
Musk later tweeted, 害羞草研究所淭witter needs to become by far the most accurate source of information about the world. That害羞草研究所檚 our mission.害羞草研究所�
If the company were to strip current verified users of blue checks 害羞草研究所� something that hasn害羞草研究所檛 happened 害羞草研究所� that could exacerbate disinformation on the platform during Tuesday害羞草研究所檚 midterm elections.
Like Griffin, some Twitter users have already begun migrating from the platform 害羞草研究所� Counter Social is another popular alternative 害羞草研究所� following that reportedly affected about half of Twitter害羞草研究所檚 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害羞草研究所檚 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害羞草研究所檚 head of safety and integrity, sought to assuage such concerns in a tweet Friday. He said the company害羞草研究所檚 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 害羞草研究所渨hen the company is losing over $4M/day.害羞草研究所� He did not provide details on the daily losses at Twitter and said employees who lost their jobs were offered three months害羞草研究所� pay as severance.
Frank Bajak, The Associated Press
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