November 07, 2022, 05:25 PM
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Elon Musk said on Nov. 6 that Twitter accounts engaging in impersonation will be permanently suspended without warning if they do not clearly specify that they are "parody" accounts.
Going forward, any Twitter handles engaging in impersonation without clearly specifying “parody” will be permanently suspended
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 6, 2022
The warning was issued after some celebrities changed their display names and tweeted as “Elon Musk”.
Musk said in a separate tweet: “Previously, we issued a warning before suspension, but now that we are rolling out widespread verification, there will be no warning.”
He added that any name change would result in the temporary loss of a verified checkmark.
Previously, we issued a warning before suspension, but now that we are rolling out widespread verification, there will be no warning.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 6, 2022
This will be clearly identified as a condition for signing up to Twitter Blue.
Some suspended
Several accounts appeared to be suspended or placed behind a warning sign on Sunday after they changed their names to Elon Musk or approximations of Elon Musk.
Those affected included U.S. comedian Kathy Griffin and Australian satirical website the Chaser.
BREAKING: @KathyGriffin has been permanently suspended from Twitter for impersonating @ElonMusk pic.twitter.com/ust86DZHKj
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) November 6, 2022
Griffin took to Mastodon, an alternative social media platform where she set up an account last week, to make fun of her Twitter suspension.
She wrote: “I guess not ALL the content moderators were let go? Lol”
Paid blue tick on hold
The latest hoo-ha over Twitter came amidst the potential for the abuse of Twitter’s planned rollout of blue tick verification checkmark for a US$7.99 monthly fee, which is a feature of its paid-for Twitter Blue service.
However, The New York Times reported that Musk’s new blue tick proposal would be delayed until after the U.S. midterm elections as there are concerns users could buy verification, pretend to be a political figure and then sow confusion.
On the topic of previously banned accounts, Musk said last week that they will not be allowed back onto Twitter until there is “a clear process for doing so”.
Creating such a process would take at least a few more weeks, Musk had tweeted, with this new timeline implying that Trump will not return in time for the mid-term elections on Nov. 8.
Committed to free speech
Musk also tweeted on Sunday that he was still committed to free speech, and would continue to allow the account that flags his movements to remain online.
Musk has previously said he opposed permanent bans on Twitter.
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
Some staff asked to return
Engineering teams at Twitter are rolling out new features at breakneck speed, and dozens who had been laid off had been asked to return.
These are the ones who were either laid off by mistake or the company has since realised their work was vital to build the new features that Musk wants.
Top photo via Kathy Griffin & Tesla Intelligence UK YouTube
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