Get insight “Elon Musk: Twitter Rule On Impersonation Without Parody Raises Free Speech Problems” He demanded a quick adjustment to policy enforcement after some famous people and blue-check verified Twitter users modified their profiles to seem like the social network’s new owner Elon Musk.
On Sunday, Musk announced that going the future, if impersonators’ accounts are not distinctly marked as parodies, Twitter will immediately and permanently suspend them.
The CEO of Tesla, SpaceX, and now Twitter seems to have changed his mind about lifetime bans in a sequence of tweets on Sunday. He wrote:
Elon Musk: Twitter Rule On Impersonation Without Parody Raises Free Speech Problems
“Going forward, any Twitter handles engaging in impersonation without clearly specifying “parody” will be permanently suspended
Previously, we issued a warning before suspension, but now that we are rolling out widespread verification, there will be no warning. This will be clearly identified as a condition for signing up to Twitter Blue.
Any name change at all will cause temporary loss of verified checkmark.”
After deciding to purchase Twitter in May, Musk argued against lifetime bans and declared he would lift one imposed on Donald Trump. Following the American uprising on January 6, 2021, Twitter blocked the former president. Capitol worried that Trump’s words will spark additional bloodshed. Trump has declared he won’t use Twitter again.
Twitter’s terms of service stated that users “may not impersonate individuals, groups, or organizations to mislead, confuse, or deceive others, nor use a fake identity in a manner that disrupts the experience of others on Twitter” before Musk finalized his $44 billion acquisition of the social network on October 28.
Users who parodied were previously obliged by the firm to “distinguish themselves in BOTH their account name and bio.”
Before Musk’s takeover, Twitter would not often jump to a permanent ban of a user’s account for impersonation. Instead, it would take one of three steps, including “profile moderation,” “temporary suspension,” or a “permanent suspension,” in response to impersonators.
Twitter had not yet changed its terms of service to reflect Musk’s directive as of Sunday night. The “Chief Twit,” as he has playfully been referred to, made a choice that has caused controversy and uproar, in part because Musk describes himself as a free speech absolutist.
Okey-dokey I’ve had my fun and I think I made my point. ? I’m just not a ‘trending’ kind of gal. Never have been, never want to be.
Have a safe Sunday everyone! xo ?— valerie bertinelli (@Wolfiesmom) November 6, 2022
Last week, he responded angrily to civil rights organizations and activists who urged Twitter advertisers to halt their spending until Musk can demonstrate that the firm can live up to its assurances of trust and safety.
On October 27, internet trolls and bigots attacked Twitter’s San Francisco headquarters and flooded the social network with a barrage of racist slurs and other hate speech. According to researchers, Twitter responded appropriately, but it ought to have anticipated and made an effort to stop the raid.
Verification Changes
Following that challenge, Musk conducted significant staff reductions at Twitter, firing 3,700 individuals across all divisions, including content moderators and other experts in trust and safety. Redesigning the platform’s subscription offering and verification method is one of his main priorities.
For public persons like politicians and celebrities who were very likely to be impersonated by bad actors, verification in the form of a blue check used to be reserved. Anyone who purchases Twitter Blue, a subscription service, for $7.99 per month will now be able to purchase a verification mark.
People who believe the authentication measures will make it more difficult for Twitter users to access reliable information and real accounts have responded with mocking and imitation.
Twitter is suspending accounts using verification to impersonate Elon Musk’s account
Including @SarahKSilverman pic.twitter.com/yMaMqSIkAt
— Matt Navarra (@MattNavarra) November 6, 2022
On Sunday, the account of Kathy Griffin, one of the comedians who impersonated Elon Musk over the weekend, was suspended. In a tweet, she declared, “After much vigorous discussion with the females in my life, I’ve determined that voting blue for their pick is only just (They’re also sexy females, btw.)” She then changed her display name to Elon Musk and her profile picture to resemble his.
AMC’s “Mad Men” star Rich Sommer’s account was also terminated after he changed his display name and profile image to resemble Musk. Sommer is well known for playing Harry Crane on the show.
I’m in over my head, Sommer joked on Twitter on Friday while posing as Musk. Would 44 trillion of you mind sending me $1 to Twitter? Later, in an even more scathing statement, he continued, “Ok, time to use plan B since they’re MAKING me keep Twitter. Does anyone have any contacts with advertisers who are NOT REAL RACISTS but just sort of ‘like’ racism? Just add others who are interested in learning more about racism.
An inquiry for comment or confirmation as to whether Sommer and Griffin were permanently banned from Twitter and Elon Musk did not receive a response right away.
Actress Valerie Bertinelli, another impersonator of Musk, changed her display name to Elon Musk on Saturday and then tweeted messages pushing her followers to support Democratic politicians.
My commitment to free speech extends even to not banning the account following my plane, even though that is a direct personal safety risk
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 7, 2022
The comedian, author, and “I Love You, America” host Sarah Silverman also modified her display name and avatar picture to resemble Elon Musk. When she wrote, “I am a freedom of speech absolutist and I eat doody for breakfast every day,” she then made an impression of Elon Musk speaking.
Before Twitter took any visible action against her account, Bertinelli updated her profile. “Okey-dokey, I’ve had my fun and I think I made my point,” she wrote on Sunday morning. I just don’t like to follow trends. Never will be, never have been. Everyone has a secure Sunday! xo”
After Twitter disabled her account, Silverman continued to use the network but only after switching back to her real photo and display name. On Sunday, Silverman posted: “1) 9 days ago, 2) yesterday, 3) today. to her 12 million stated friends and followers there. “We had fun,” followed by three pictures.
One image alluded to a promise Musk made to his followers on October 28 after buying the social media site, stating that “Comedy is now legal on Twitter.” The others displayed her humorous tweet and the limitations that it had sparked.
On Sunday, Musk defended himself in response to some who think his new enforcement policy violates the principles of free speech that he supports. As a clear risk to his safety, he stated, “My dedication to free expression extends even to not blocking the account following my plane.”
Twitter needs to become by far the most accurate source of information about the world. That’s our mission.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 7, 2022
Jack Sweeney, a college student, built a Twitter account that updates automatically and displays the locations of Elon Musk’s regular trips aboard his private plane. Even when Musk pressed Sweeney and even offered to pay him to remove the flight tracker, it is still accessible on Twitter.
Musk attempted to deflect attention away from free speech on Sunday after pushing for the banning of impersonators without a parody label. He declared, “Twitter needs to become the world’s most reliable source of news. That is our goal.
After celebrity and blue-check verified Twitter users imitated Elon Musk, he advocated for a change in policy enforcement. Musk said Sunday that Twitter will permanently suspend impostor accounts without warning if they aren’t tagged as parody.
