OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
Twitter boss and billionaire Elon Musk is setting into his new role at the social media platform making some changes — and then undoing them within a couple of hours. And that process is likely to repeat itself — often — over the next several months, if not years, according to him.
On Wednesday, Musk’s platform rolled out a new way to identify “official” Twitter accounts, but then “killed” the idea hours later.
“The social media platform is working to reconsider which users receive the blue checkmark icon next to their names,” the Daily Wire reported. “Before the world’s richest man acquired the company, the symbol indicated accounts belonging to celebrities, official government agencies, members of the media, and other ‘authentic accounts of public interest,’ according to a help page published by Twitter.”
The new addition featured the word “official” underneath verified accounts along with the noted blue checkmark.
Existing blue-check users received the new designation under “previous verification criteria,” the platform noted, or after enrolling in Twitter Blue, a new $7.99-per-month subscription plan that was introduced on Wednesday in which users pay for their verification.
After receiving confused responses and outright pushback, Musk said he personally “killed” the idea the same day it was introduced.
I just killed it
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 9, 2022
Later, he noted: “Please note that Twitter will do lots of dumb things in coming months,” adding that the company will “keep what works” and “change what doesn’t.”
Please note that Twitter will do lots of dumb things in coming months.
We will keep what works & change what doesn’t.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 9, 2022
Earlier in the week, Musk made a subtle but potentially telling change to his profile that may signal tough times ahead for him and for the remaining staff at the company.
Shortly after Musk took over earlier this month, he changed his profile to say “Chief Twit.” But over the weekend, he changed his location to read “Hell” — after getting no small amount of pushback and grief for laying off roughly half of the platform’s 7,500 employees worldwide. He also updated his profile to read, “Twitter Complaint Hotline Operator.”
The SpaceX and Tesla founder and CEO, meanwhile, has also been attempting to assure advertisers and users that he is not sacking content moderation on the platform. In fact, according to a report over the weekend, Musk did not lay off any of the approximately 2,000 content moderation staff.
“Regarding Twitter’s reduction in force, unfortunately, there is no choice when the company is losing over $4M/day. Everyone [who] exited was offered 3 months of severance, which is 50% more than legally required,” he explained on the platform after locking out all employees on Friday following an email sent to every staffer warning them of what was coming a day earlier.
Still, Musk is facing a lawsuit from at least four former employees who claim he violated state law by not giving them enough warning before laying them off.
In addition, Musk also reminded platform users that content moderation was not going away.
“Again, to be crystal clear, Twitter’s strong commitment to content moderation remains absolutely unchanged. In fact, we have actually seen hateful speech at times this week decline *below* our prior norms, contrary to what you may read in the press,” he tweeted Friday.
Again, to be crystal clear, Twitter’s strong commitment to content moderation remains absolutely unchanged.
In fact, we have actually seen hateful speech at times this week decline *below* our prior norms, contrary to what you may read in the press.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 4, 2022
Regarding the layoffs, The Daily Caller noted further:
Despite the mass layoffs, the platform’s 2000 content moderators were mostly “not impacted,” according to Twitter’s Head of Safety and Integrity Yoel Roth. He added that the daily volume of “moderation actions” is the same under Musk as it was under the previous leadership.
As the midterms approach, Roth also stated that combatting “harmful misinformation that can suppress the vote” remains Twitter’s “top priority.”
Here are the facts about where Twitter’s Trust & Safety and moderation capacity stands today:
tl;dr: While we said goodbye to incredibly talented friends and colleagues yesterday, our core moderation capabilities remain in place.
— Yoel Roth (@yoyoel) November 4, 2022
Before making his statement, Musk said that Twitter experienced a “massive drop in revenue” after left-wing “activist groups” pressured advertisers to leave the platform, accusing them of “trying to destroy free speech in America.”
On Saturday, founder and former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey apologized to the staff who were terminated, claiming he grew the company too fast.
“Folks at Twitter past and present are strong and resilient,” Dorsey said. “They will always find a way no matter how difficult the moment. I realize many are angry with me. I own the responsibility for why everyone is in this situation: I grew the company size too quickly. I apologize for that.”
“I am grateful for, and love, everyone who has ever worked on Twitter,” he continued. “I don’t expect that to be mutual in this moment…or ever…and I understand.”
