Main topic: X (formerly known as Twitter) throttling traffic to websites disliked by Elon Musk.
Key points:
1. X slowed down access to websites including The New York Times, Instagram, Facebook, Bluesky, Threads, Reuters, and Substack.
2. These websites have been publicly attacked by Musk in the past.
3. The delays potentially affected the traffic and ad revenue of these companies.
Hint on Elon Musk: Musk has previously blocked links to competitors, called the New York Times "propaganda," and took away their verification check mark. He has also feuded with Mark Zuckerberg and threatened a cage fight.
Main topic: Elon Musk-owned social network X (formerly Twitter) has made TweetDeck a subscriber-only product.
Key points:
1. TweetDeck, previously a free tool, is now only accessible to subscribers of X Pro.
2. This move affects social media managers, journalists, and power users who relied on TweetDeck for tracking lists and trends on Twitter/X.
3. Under Musk's ownership, X has introduced various subscription offerings, including verification marks, longer text and video posts, fewer ads, encryption in DMs, and ad revenue sharing.
Hint on Elon Musk: Elon Musk is the owner of social network X (formerly Twitter) and has implemented changes such as making TweetDeck a subscriber-only product and introducing various subscription offerings.
Main topic: Elon Musk's decision to remove the ability to "block" someone on social media platform X, except in DMs.
Key points:
1. Blocking is a crucial function for ensuring safety on social media platforms.
2. Musk's decision may breach Google's Play Store guidelines for apps hosting user-generated content.
3. Users are voicing their concerns and questioning the impact of this decision.
### Summary
📢 Social media company X, owned by Elon Musk, is removing the block feature that allows users to restrict specific accounts, sparking controversy and concerns about user safety.
### Facts
- 🚫 Musk announced that X will eliminate the block feature, except for direct messages (DMs), favoring a "mute" function instead.
- 🗣️ The mute function screens a user from seeing specified accounts but doesn't alert the other account.
- 🧪 Researchers have discovered an increase in hate speech and antisemitic content on X since Musk acquired the platform.
- 📱 Removing or limiting the block function may lead X to conflict with Apple and Google Play Store policies regarding user safety.
- 🤝 X, Google, and Apple have not provided any comments on the matter.
- 👥 Linda Yaccarino, X's Chief Executive, defended Musk's decision in response to anti-bullying activist Monica Lewinsky's post, stating that they are building a better option and prioritizing users' safety.
- 👩💼 Musk will lead the product and engineering teams, while Yaccarino will lead all other teams, including legal and sales.
A recent study conducted by the Observatory on Social Media at Indiana University revealed that X (formerly known as Twitter) has a bot problem, with approximately 1,140 AI-powered accounts that generate fake content and steal selfies to create fake personas, promoting suspicious websites, spreading harmful content, and even attempting to steal from existing crypto wallets. These accounts interact with human-run accounts and distort online conversations, making it increasingly difficult to detect their activity and emphasizing the need for countermeasures and regulation.
Former pharmaceutical executive and convicted securities fraudster Martin Shkreli claims he has been lobbying Elon Musk through mutual friends to regain access to his original X (formerly Twitter) account, alleging that Musk's actions contradict his stance on free speech; Shkreli believes Musk may be jealous of him and his machismo.
Elon Musk's Twitter, now rebranded as X, has obtained a currency transmitter license in Rhode Island, indicating a possible move towards crypto payments and turning the platform into an all-in-one app like China's WeChat.
Elon Musk's social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, is updating its privacy policy to collect users' biometric and personal data, raising concerns about privacy and the potential for misuse of information.
Elon Musk's Subscriptions feature on X (formerly Twitter) is not gaining significant traction, with Musk having only 40,000 subscribers out of his 155 million followers, suggesting that it is not a successful tool in the creator economy.
Elon Musk's leadership at X (formerly Twitter) is being questioned by the U.S. Department of Justice regarding the company's compliance with the Federal Trade Commission's consent order on data privacy and security, as investigations reveal a chaotic environment and potential violations.
Elon Musk is considering turning the social network, formerly known as Twitter, into a subscription-based platform in order to eliminate bots and address financial issues.
Elon Musk suggests that Twitter may no longer be free and is considering implementing a small monthly payment to combat bots on the platform.
Elon Musk hinted at the possibility of introducing a small monthly fee for using his company X, formerly Twitter, in an effort to combat the presence of bots on the platform, although no further details were provided.
Tech leaders, including Elon Musk, joined senators to discuss AI regulation, with Musk suggesting that Twitter users may have to pay a monthly fee to combat bots on the platform.
Elon Musk considers introducing a fee for X (formerly known as Twitter) users to address the increasing presence of bots on the platform, OpenAI launches DALL-E 3, Cisco acquires Splunk for $28 billion, and other major tech news happened this week.
Elon Musk's company, X Corp., is facing a trademark infringement lawsuit from a social media ad agency, X Social Media, over the rebranding of Twitter to "X," with the agency arguing that the rebranding has caused consumer confusion and harm to its own "X Social Media Mark."
Elon Musk received anonymous text messages urging him to acquire Twitter and a lawsuit against him reveals that many of his actions since purchasing the platform align with the recommendations outlined in the messages, including his attacks against the Anti-Defamation League.
Elon Musk-owned social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, is facing financial challenges as advertising revenue decreases and its value is estimated to be worth less than its debt.
Elon Musk's tenure as head of Twitter (now X) has been characterized by numerous failures, including failed subscription fees, controversial policies, and a decline in user activity, leading to questions about the platform's future and financial viability.
Elon Musk's platform X, formerly known as Twitter, is now serving users clickbait advertisements that cannot be blocked, reported, or easily identified as ads.
Elon Musk recommended following notorious accounts that promote false information on social media, amidst the ongoing conflict between Gaza Strip militants and Israel, raising concerns about the spread of misinformation on the platform formerly known as Twitter.
Users on Elon Musk's platform X (formerly Twitter) can now block unverified accounts from replying to their posts, potentially making it more difficult to refute misinformation, but also raising concerns about the presence of bots and the unequal playing field created by paid verification.
Elon Musk has been warned by a European regulator about the proliferation of illegal content and disinformation on X (formerly known as Twitter) during the Israel-Hamas conflict, with potential fines of up to 6% of the company's annual revenue for non-compliance.
The European Union has warned Elon Musk that his social media platform X, formerly Twitter, is spreading illegal content and disinformation following the Hamas attacks on Israel, urging him to update content enforcement policies and remove violating content in a timely manner.
Australian regulator fines Elon Musk's social media platform X $386,000 for failing to cooperate with an anti-child abuse probe, dealing a blow to a company struggling with advertiser complaints about lax content moderation.
X, formerly known as Twitter, plans to charge new users $1 per year to access key features, including tweeting, replying, liking, and bookmarking, as owner Elon Musk aims to combat the proliferation of bots on the platform.
Elon Musk's social network X, formerly known as Twitter, is testing a $1 annual subscription for new users in New Zealand and the Philippines in an effort to reduce spam and bot activity on the platform.
Elon Musk's social network, formerly known as Twitter, is planning to charge users in the Philippines and New Zealand $1 to access main features such as posting and retweeting, in an effort to combat spam and bot activity.
Elon Musk is considering removing the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, from Europe due to new internet platform regulations in the region.
Elon Musk is reportedly considering pulling Twitter (referred to as "X") out of the European Union rather than complying with the bloc's Digital Services Act, as the platform faces investigation and requirements regarding content moderation and illegal content handling.
Elon Musk's plan to charge Twitter users $1 per year to combat spam and manipulation is not an effective solution and instead serves as a way to normalize paid content on the platform.
Charging new users a $1 fee on social app X, formerly Twitter, is unlikely to deter the widespread problem of bots and scams on the platform, with other measures such as enhanced reporting and stricter vetting of accounts being more effective solutions, according to market observers and industry experts in the crypto sector.
