Social Media & Big Tech news and discussions

[Time_Traveller]

CBS News Resumes Twitter Posting After Hiatus Over ‘Security Concerns’

Nov 20, 2022 6:51am PT

CBS News is back tweeting on Twitter, after halting activity on the Elon Musk-owned social platform for some 40 hours because of “security concerns.”

“After pausing for much of the weekend to assess the security concerns, CBS News and Stations is resuming its activity on Twitter as we continue to monitor the situation,” the news org’s comms team tweeted Sunday morning at 9:36 a.m. ET.

On Friday, CBS News had said that “In light of the uncertainty around Twitter and out of an abundance of caution, CBS News is pausing its activity on the social media site as it continues to monitor the platform.” Multiple advertisers have said they are freezing ad spending on Twitter amid the Musk-induced chaos, but CBS News had been the biggest media outlet to publicly say it was stepping back from Twitter.

CBS News’ caution was triggered by the drastic changes Musk has made at the company since taking Twitter private Oct. 27. He eliminated the senior management team, appointment himself CEO, and fired 50% of Twitter’s staff. Then on Nov. 17, hundreds of Twitter employees resigned after Musk had set a deadline for workers to confirm their commitment to “extremely hardcore” working conditions.

CBS News was particularly concerned about the security of information on Twitter, given the departure of key personnel responsible for managing that. The news outlet has been closely watching the situation to see if any of Twitter’s critical functions break down and whether Twitter is susceptible to hacking attacks.

https://variety.com/2022/digital/news/c ... 235438017/

[caltrek]

The Exodus at Twitter May Have Been the Plan All Along, Maybe?
by Connie Loizos
November 18, 2022

Introduction:

(TechCrunch) When Peter Clowes last updated his LinkedIn profile, he listed his role as “Layoff Survivor” at Twitter. Yet Clowes, a senior software engineer who joined the company in the spring of 2020, is now gone, too. He quit yesterday, dispassionately explaining last night on Twitter that he decided to leave not to hobble Twitter or because he hates its new owner, Elon Musk, but simply because he no longer had any incentive to stay.

It now appears that a significant percentage of Clowes’s colleagues felt the same way. While they weren’t part of the 50% of Twitter employees who lost their jobs at the end of October in an unprecedented layoff at the social media outfit, as its 3,700 remaining staffers, they were presented with an ultimatum this week by Musk. The choice he gave them: commit to a new “extremely hardcore” Twitter, “working long hours at high intensity,” or leave the company with three months of severance pay.

A Hobson’s choice, Musk was clearly hoping that some percentage of Twitter’s remaining employees — who are expensive and who he had no say in hiring — would opt to leave the company. In fact, Musk reportedly told investors he might slash 75% of staff before taking over the company, so whether he’s in shock, having cut into the muscle of the company, or he’s celebrating the success of his enigmatic plan is only something Musk and his inner circle knows.

Certainly, the numbers are stunning to nearly everyone else. Fortune reported earlier today that based on its sources’ internal estimates, at least 1,200 full-time employees just handed in their figurative key cards. Clowes, in a long series of tweets about his own departure, suggests the number could be even higher. Talking about his own “org,” he writes that “85%+” of his colleagues were laid off in October and that a stunning “80%” of those who remained opted out yesterday.

Conclusion:

We may never know for certain (how much of this is according to plan) and it probably doesn’t matter. The bigger question now is whether Musk can build back with whoever is left — before the whole thing caves in.

Read more here: https://techcrunch.com/2022/11/18/elon ... his-wish/

[spryfusion]

Musk Considers Further Twitter Layoffs in Sales on Monday

By Kurt Wagner and Sarah Frier
November 19, 2022 at 2:52 PM PST

Elon Musk is considering firing more Twitter Inc. employees as soon as Monday, this time targeting the sales and partnership side of the business after mass resignations among engineers on Thursday, according to people familiar with the matter. 

Musk had offered Twitter employees an ultimatum: either stay on and work long hours in a more “hardcore” version of Twitter, or leave with severance pay. More employees in technical roles opted to leave than expected, compared to those in sales, partnerships and similar roles, said the people, who declined to be named discussing internal matters.

On Friday, Musk asked leaders in those organizations to agree to fire more employees. Robin Wheeler, who ran marketing and sales, refused to do so, the people said. So did Maggie Suniewick, who ran partnerships. Both lost their jobs as a result, the people added. 

Wheeler and Suniewick didn’t respond to requests for comment. Twitter, which no longer has a communications department, did not respond to a message sent to its press line. 

Wheeler earlier this month had decided to resign from Twitter, but was convinced to stay, people familiar with the matter said. She has helped Musk communicate with advertisers who are wary of Twitter’s changing policies and vision. Several major brands have said they are pausing spending on Twitter.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles ... -on-monday

[caltrek]

Panel Urged to Hold Chat Site Omegle Liable for Sexual Exploitation of Kids
by Megan Butlet
November 17, 2022

Introduction:

(Courthouse News) — The 11th Circuit heard arguments Thursday over whether anonymous chat website Omegle is liable for those who misuse the site to sexually exploit children.

In 2020, the parents of an 11-year-old girl filed suit against Omegle, a website which allows users to anonymously "talk to strangers" by randomly pairing them in one-on-one chat sessions.

According to the complaint, their child was put into a chat with an adult user who claimed to have access to her location and threatened to hack her computer if she did not comply with his demands to remove her clothing on camera. The user allegedly recorded the encounter.

Omegle is accused of knowing that its website is not only used by but also caters to child predators, and profiting from the increased web traffic from so-called "cappers" who record their abusive conduct of children and share it online.

After the case was transferred from New Jersey to Tampa federal court, the parents' claims were dismissed last year by U.S. District Judge Virginia Hernandez Covington. The George W. Bush appointee ruled that Omegle has immunity under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which says that an internet service platform is not legally responsible for what users say and do. The parents appealed to the Atlanta-based 11th Circuit.

Read more here: https://www.courthousenews.com/panel-u ... -of-kids/

[ººº]

^ Discord next?

[caltrek]

Elon Musk’s Reckless Plan to Make Sex Pay on Twitter
by Megan Butler
November 17, 2022

Introduction:

(Wired) Last week, The Washington Post reported that Elon Musk plans to fast-track a product to monetize adult content on Twitter, which he more or less confirmed on Saturday afternoon. To be clear, Musk’s apparent plans—the latest get-rich-quick scheme from the richest man on the planet—have nothing to do with supporting sex workers. Choosing to expand adult content at a moment of heightened scrutiny surrounding sex work and queer people is risky, especially amid reports that Musk plans to remove protections for trans people, a population that disproportionately overlaps with sex workers, on the platform.

The move toward monetization also threatens to ruin a refuge: Since the US Federal Bureau of Investigation seized Backpage in April 2018, three days before President Trump signed the Allow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act (FOSTA) into law, Twitter has become the sole major social media platform to tolerate sex workers. Even in the absence of direct payouts, Twitter has long been a safe haven for sex workers (adult content creators as well as in-person providers) in an increasingly puritanical digital landscape. But in order for monetization to work, Twitter must overhaul its content moderation practices and intensify them, in direct contrast to Musk’s oath to protect “free speech.”

More likely is that monetization will be done in haste and without addressing the issues raised by one of the company’s internal teams sensitive to the complexities of adult content and moderation. This is in part because, as of Friday, teams like the Machine Learning, Ethics, Transparency, and Accountability (META) team no longer exist. This move threatens to further endanger sex workers and especially trans sex workers, who are already at an astronomically increased risk of violence that continues to rise with each new piece of anti-trans legislation.

Read more here: https://www.wired.com/story/elon-musk- ... tion/ amp

[caltrek]

“Trying to Help a Fascist”: Jack White Quits Twitter and Slams Elon Musk for Reinstating Trump’s Account
by Alex Henderson
November 22, 2022

Introduction:

(Alternet) On Saturday, November 19, former President Donald Trump said that he has no interest in returning to Twitter even though its new owner, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, has restored his @realdonaldtrump account. At a Republican Jewish Coalition event, Trump said of the possibility of returning to Twitter, “I don’t see any reason for it.” The former president has been saying that regardless of what Musk does, he will continue to use his own Truth Social as his primary social media platform.

Pundits have been speculating on whether or not Trump will change his mind about returning to Twitter now that he is officially seeking the 2024 GOP presidential nomination. But as of Tuesday morning, November 22, Trump had yet to return to Twitter. The most recent @realdonaldtrump posts are from January 8, 2021, two days after the attack on the U.S. Capitol Building — the event that inspired Twitter to indefinitely suspend his account.

Many Trump critics have been angry with Musk for reinstating Trump’s Twitter account. One of them is rocker Jack White, who has left Twitter in response to Musk’s decision. White is famous for his work with the White Stripes.

On Sunday, November 20, White called Musk out in a blistering rant on Instagram.

Read more here: https://www.alternet.org/2022/11/elon- ... 58766519/

[Time_Traveller]

RT @[email protected]

Under Elon Musk’s new direction for Twitter, several anti-vaccine accounts with tens of thousands of followers are now verified by paying $7.99 a month for Twitter Blue. My latest for ⁦@[email protected]

⁩

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/ ... SApp_Other (Via Two Penneth on Mastodon)

[weatheriscool]

Twitter won't restore Alex Jones' account, Elon Musk says
Source: CNN

Conspiracy theorist Alex Jones won’t be returning to Twitter and will remain banned from the platform, according to its new owner, Elon Musk.

Musk declared on Friday that Jones’ account will not be restored, in spite of some users’ requests, and spent the weekend defending the decision even as Twitter moved to restore other suspended accounts including that of former President Donald Trump.

[snip]

Musk elaborated on his position Sunday evening, citing Bible scripture and his own personal experience with Sudden Infant Death Syndrome to explain his opposition to Jones, who has been ordered to pay hundreds of millions of dollars in damages for his lies about the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.

“My firstborn child died in my arms. I felt his last heartbeat,” Musk tweeted. “I have no mercy for anyone who would use the deaths of children for gain, politics or fame.”

Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2022/11/21/tech/ale ... witter-ban

The bastard hasn't unbanned my account either. Starting to be disappointed by Elon.

[Time_Traveller]

‘Twitter is, was and will always be a dumpster fire.’ From Ryan Reynolds to LeBron James, celebrities are annoyed about social media, too.

November 21, 2022 3:29 PM EST

No, LeBron James does not want to be traded — that was put into the world by a fake Twitter feed purporting to belong to the Los Angeles Lakers superstar when a pay-$8-and-pretend-to-be-anyone verification system made a brief appearance.

And no, actor Edward Norton is not all that worried about the possible demise of the social media site under Elon Musk’s leadership.

“If a lot of that stuff went away,” Norton said, “I think we’d be the better for it.”

https://fortune.com/2022/11/21/twitter- ... -athletes/

[Time_Traveller]

Hive Crosses 1M Downloads: Users Urge Tweeps To Move To 'Best' Twitter Alternative

11/22/22 at 11:34 PM EST

Twitter alternative Hive Social has crossed the 1 million mark in downloads and it seems that the interest in the app has been growing significantly, especially having risen during the weekend when Twitter boss Elon Musk announced the reinstatement of former President Donald Trump.

As of Tuesday, Hive was in the top 20 list of top apps on the U.S. App Store, TechCrunch reported. It has passed the 1 million downloads mark and continues to be a hot topic on Twitter.

https://www.ibtimes.com/hive-crosses-1m ... ve-3639353

[caltrek]

Digital Astroturfing as Corporate Propaganda
by Thomas Klikauer
November 23, 2022

Introduction:

(Counterpunch) We might understand Astroturfing as a right-wing propaganda or a corporate public relation (PR) activity masking the true backers behind a seemingly innocent looking online message or organisation, pretending to be ordinary people engaged in a social activity or protest.

The hidden organization of Digital Astroturfing can be either political (the Republican party, Tea Party, MAGA, etc.); it can be corporate advertising (a corporation); it can be religious (pretending to support a ban on abortion, for example), or it can even be straight forward corporate public relations. The raison d’être of Astroturfing is to make such engagement, protest, and support appear as if it originates from grassroots participants.

Astroturfing also intends to give their statements credibility by withholding information about the true source and – perhaps more importantly – the financial connection into the corporate world. Astroturfing comes from Astroturf – a brand of synthetic carpet resembling natural grass. It is not real but should look real – just like Astroturfing. The implication is that instead of a true and natural grassroots effort, it is fake and artificial.

Astroturfing also seeks to mobilize a sympathetic public creating the image of public consensus where there is none. It is purely a propaganda tool and is often funded by corporations.

On online platforms, Astroturfers use sophisticated software to disguise their corporate identities. In worse cases, a single individual operates through many personalities. This should aid the notion of widespread public support. Yet, in terms of propaganda and public relation, Astroturfing can help to change public viewpoints.

Read more here: https://www.counterpunch.org/2022/11/2 ... opaganda/

[caltrek]

Introduction—Russia: What to Expect Next?
by Dan Drollette
November 9, 2022

Extract:

(Bulletin of Atomic Scientists) Author Brooke Harrington—a sociologist at Dartmouth College—argues that nowadays, the West has some new and unique tools at its command that were not available previously. In this era of Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook (in addition to the SWIFT electronic banking system and economic sanctions), the West can easily target the ultra-wealthy individuals who inhabit Putin’s inner circle—the oligarchs—with an unheralded and surprisingly effective tool: social stigma. In her essay, “Sanctioning Russia’s oligarchs—with shame,” Harrington argues that the very public nature of the seizing and freezing of the high-profile status symbols of Russian oligarchs, ranging from luxury yachts in the Cayman Islands to expensive villas in Italy—along with other social stigmas such as walkouts by members of the United Nations when the Russian foreign minister began to speak—have helped to begin the shattering of support by Russian elites for Putin’s regime. Social shaming, a tool known since at least Nathaniel Hawthorne’s publication of The Scarlet Letter, could be helping to make the first cracks appear in the brittle power structure that comprises Putin’s autocracy.

Read more here: https://thebulletin.org/premium/2022-1 ... t-heading

[Time_Traveller]

Twitter’s Brussels office closed, sparking legal concerns; Musk poll

November 24, 2022

A new report today says Twitter’s Brussels office closed after all of its staff either resigned or were fired. The development has sparked concerns about whether the company intends to ignore a new law on content moderation.

The prospect seems even more likely after Musk again decided to leave it to his Twitter followers to decide whether virtually all banned accounts should be reinstated …

Background

A new European law was passed last week, known as the Digital Services Act. It places legal obligations on social media companies to address illegal content, disinformation, and hate speech.

https://techtelegraph.co.uk/twitters-br ... musk-poll/

[weatheriscool]

I hope it is soon!

[caltrek]

Musk's Twitter "Amnesty" Plan for Suspended Accounts Alarms Activists
by Rebecca Falconer
Updated November 25, 2022

Introduction:

(Axios) Elon Musk announced Thursday a "general amnesty" for suspended Twitter accounts from next week, "provided that they have not broken the law" or engaged in "egregious spam."

Why it matters: Online monitoring groups have reported a rise in racism, anti-Semitism and other hate speech on Twitter since free speech advocate Musk completed his $44 billion acquisition of the social media company last month, though the billionaire said Thursday it has declined.

• Activists warn the situation would get much worse if people like former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke were welcomed back following permanent bans for hate speech.

Driving the news: Musk tweeted his decision after 72.4% of over 3.1 million voters backed the amnesty in an online poll, which AP notes is an unscientific method that's vulnerable to the influence of bots.

• It comes days after Musk reinstated the Twitter accounts of prominent users including former President Trump, who was banned in 2021 following the U.S. Capitol riot, and Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, whose page was restricted last month due to antisemitic tweets.

Read more here: https://www.axios.com/2022/11/25/musk- ... activists

[caltrek]

New Twitter Multicolored Verification to Launch Next Week
by Ivan Mehta
November 25, 2022

Introduction:

(TechCrunch) After messing up the first launch of Twitter’s “power to the people” verification system, Elon Musk said that the social network will tentatively roll out a new multicolored verification system next week.

The owner of Twitter said that, under this scheme, companies will get a gold checkmark, government officials will get a grey checkmark — probably similar to the “official” checkmark it’s currently trying out with some prominent accounts — and the blue checkmark will be dedicated to individuals even if they are not celebrities. That would mean that the blue check mark will be used with legacy verified accounts and folks who buy Twitter’s new $8 per month paid plan.

Musk added that the company aims to manually authenticate all verifications before the new verification system goes live. It’s not clear what he means by that as Twitter Blue subscribers will get a blue checkmark. Not only that, but Twitter’s reduced workforce will be under pressure to check every verification manually to avoid any impersonation or spam.

(See linked article for Twitter feeds).

Musk further explained that individuals can have a second tiny logo to note if they are part of a certain organization. That organization also has to verify that the individual represents them or works with them in some way. He added that decision to apply blue checkmark to all individual accounts was taken as notability of a person is a subjective matter.

Earlier this month, Musk paused the revamped Twitter Blue program and said it would resume on November 29. However, this week, the Tesla CEO put this plan on hold until “there is a high level of stopping impersonation.” Notably, this was the first time he talked about using multiple colors for verification.

Read more here: https://techcrunch.com/2022/11/25/elon ... ext-week/

[caltrek]

Twitter’s Brussels office closed, sparking legal concerns; Musk poll

November 24, 2022

A new report today says Twitter’s Brussels office closed after all of its staff either resigned or were fired. The development has sparked concerns about whether the company intends to ignore a new law on content moderation.

The prospect seems even more likely after Musk again decided to leave it to his Twitter followers to decide whether virtually all banned accounts should be reinstated …

Background

A new European law was passed last week, known as the Digital Services Act. It places legal obligations on social media companies to address illegal content, disinformation, and hate speech.

https://techtelegraph.co.uk/twitters-br ... musk-poll/

More on that:

Twitter Layoffs Trigger Oversight Risk Warning from Brussels
by Natasha Lomas
November 24, 2022

Introduction:

(TechCrunch) In another move that’s being frowned upon by European Union regulators, Elon Musk-owned Twitter has closed its Brussels office per a report in the Financial Times — citing sources with knowledge of the departures.

Staffers in the office were focused on European Union digital policy, working in close proximity to the seat of power of EU’s executive, the European Commission — an entity with an ongoing role in EU lawmaking. The Commission will also soon take on a major new oversight role for the bloc’s updated digital rulebook, the Digital Services Act (DSA).

Given the obviously strategic function of the Brussels office, its termination could be interpreted as either a major strategic blunder by Musk, if he’s failed to understand the importance of having an policy presence at the heart of the EU to influence lawmakers and law enforcers — or a very obvious (and intentional) snub to the bloc and its regulations that signals bad news ahead for Twitter’s compliance with regional laws.

Either way, the Commission does not appear to be taking the development lying down.

In fresh remarks today, following the latest Twitter layoff revelations — and following a visit by an EU commissioner to Twitter’s Dublin office (which does, for now, still exist) — the EU’s executive has given the clearest indication yet that it could appoint itself as overseer of the bird site’s compliance with the incoming DSA.

Read more here: https://techcrunch.com/2022/11/24/elon ... -warning/

[caltrek]

These "polls" of Musk's doing are an instance of applying democratic processes to destroy democracy. For democracy to mean anything, the rights of minorities must be respected. Otherwise, such "democracies" quickly devolve into rule by a few and then by one person. That it is Musk that has full control over the polling process makes that process even less democratic.

If posting rights of past policy violators are to be restored, they at least should be accompanied with warnings regarding the need to comply with minimal standards of decency and with some regard for the truth. Otherwise, permission is given to the mob to bully whoever they wish for whatever reason they wish. Such bullying to include fabrication of lies in order to damage the reputation of intended targets.

As an enabling agent, Twitter should be held partly responsible for such excesses. Provisions to lessen such liability should be granted only if good faith efforts are made to moderate public postings. Regardless of "poll results."

[Time_Traveller]

Several anti-facist/pro-LGBTQ+ accounts have been suspended by Musk by pro-facist accounts including Vishal P. Singhx Chadloder and the Colorado Springs Anti-Facists, never trust Musk and his Truth Social 2.0 minions. (Via Mastodon)