Martin NuttyApr 22, 2023

Day 177 and #Twitter users are surprised that #ElonMusk’s decision to remove #bluecheck validation is causing chaos and the creation of impersonation accounts. That could never have been predicted?

#Decentralized #SocialMedia is the solution for exposure to willful and arbitrary behavior by egomaniacal billionaires

Anybody else perplexed this happened? 😜

https://thehill.com/policy/technology/3963163-blue-check-chaos-twitter-policy-spurs-confusion-and-scramble-to-prove-authenticity

Blue check chaos: Twitter policy spurs confusion and scramble to prove authenticity

Twitter’s move to remove thousands of legacy verification check marks Thursday resulted in chaos as users were left scrambling to prove their authenticity in the face of fake impersonation accounts emerging. Twitter began to remove thousands of its iconic legacy verification check marks on Thursday, nearly three weeks after CEO Elon Musk initially planned to…

The Hill
Show threadMartin NuttyApr 23, 2023

/2 Day 179 some #Twitter users are attempting to sabotage the #ElonMusk’s #BlueCheck program. A lot of users not happy, trying to bend #Musk to their will rather than leave and migrate to #Mastodon

What does it take?

#Twexit #MastodonMigration #TwitterMigration

https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2023/04/22/block-the-blue-twitter-verified/

Twitter users #BlockTheBlue as ‘verified’ accounts take on new meaning

Some netizens have blocked accounts with blue check marks after Twitter removed the symbol from legacy accounts.

The Washington Post
Show threadMartin NuttyApr 24, 2023

/3 -Day 180 Kyle Chayka of the New Yorker writing on the decay of the largest social networks with a particular focus on #Twitter:

“we can’t rely on large digital platforms that are motivated by profit above all”

Certainly makes the case for #Mastodon

#TwitterMigration

https://www.newyorker.com/culture/infinite-scroll/buzzfeed-blue-check-marks-and-the-end-of-an-internet-era

BuzzFeed, Blue Check Marks, and the End of an Internet Era

Kyle Chayka on the end of BuzzFeed News, Elon Musk’s removal of blue check marks from Twitter, the SpaceX Starship explosion, and the end of a social-media era.

The New Yorker
Show threadMartin NuttyApr 26, 2023

/4 - Day 182. Now here’s a surprise, those who have purchased a #Twitter #BlueCheck with have their posts prioritized

So much for the democracy of the internet or whether the quality of your content should be prioritized by opaque algorithms

I prefer my #AlgorithmFree #Mastodon experience

https://www.foxbusiness.com/technology/elon-musk-verified-twitter-accounts-prioritized.amp

#TwitterMigration

Elon Musk says verified Twitter accounts now 'prioritized' | Fox Business

Twitter CEO Elon Musk tweeted Tuesday that verified accounts on the social media platform are now "prioritized," after some celebrities were granted the badges without paying.

Show threadMartin NuttyApr 27, 2023

/5 - Day 183 - The elimination of the #BlueCheck has degraded #Twitter’s utility as a #news source. The new implementation has nothing to do with authentication and verification, if anything it is a propagandist’s delight. In #Musk’s conception of #SocialMedia, truth, veracity and honesty are of little value

#TwitterMigration

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/26/technology/twitter-verification-problems.html

Tweets Become Harder to Believe as Labels Change Meaning

The elimination of check marks that helped authenticate accounts has convulsed a platform that once seemed indispensable for following breaking news.

The New York Times
Show threadMartin NuttyApr 28, 2023

/6 Day 184 - What are the consequences of #Twitter laying off 75% of its workforce?

Two factor authentication used to be available for all accounts, it is now limited to Twitter blue payers. This recent removal, coupled with the lack of staff to assist with hacks, degrades the network. Classify this one under foolish #ElonMusk monetization attempts

#TwitterMigration

https://slate.com/technology/2023/04/twitter-hack-elon-musk-crypto-scams.html

My Twitter’s Been Hacked. But Hasn’t Everyone’s?

Life on a social platform that a shady character has taken from you and debased.

Slate
Show threadMartin NuttyApr 29, 2023

/7 Day 185 - #JackDorsey now regrets #ElonMusk’s take over of #Twitter. I guess there were no signs of toxic narcissism and egomania when he advocated for #Musk as the owner a year ago

I wonder if Dorsey is feeling more anti-Musk now that #BlueSky is making the news?

#SocialMedia #TwitterMigration

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-04-29/twitter-co-founder-dorsey-rues-musk-deal-it-all-went-south

Twitter Co-Founder Dorsey Rues Musk Deal: ‘It All Went South’

Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey — once a supporter of Elon Musk’s $44 billion acquisition of the site — is now offering sharp criticism of the new owner and his handling of the deal.

Bloomberg
Show threadMartin NuttyMay 1, 2023

/8 It used to be that #Twitter was a preferred distribution channel for governmental agencies, that status appears to be crumbling. The MTA, #NYC’s transit agency used the network to provide service updates - now no more.

Twitter is now apparently offering gold and gray check marks for organizations. Maybe a poop brown tick mark will work for #ElonMusk?

https://abcnews.go.com/amp/Business/wireStory/nyc-transit-agency-ends-twitter-alerts-unreliable-98928570

NYC transit agency ends Twitter alerts, says it's unreliable

ABC News
Show threadMartin NuttyMay 3, 2023

/9 Ah yes that looks like a winning strategy to bring back #NPR to #Twitter

#ElonMusk oozes hostility towards legitimate #NewsMedia companies. At what point do #Journalists cut the cord and say ENOUGH!

I get it's difficult to walk away from a large following, but do you really want to continue putting money in this #oligarch's pocket?

#TwitterMigration #News

https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/elon-musk-threatens-to-assign-nprs-official-twitter-account-to-another-company

Elon Musk Threatens To Assign NPR’s Official Twitter Account To ‘Another Company’

Newly minted Twitter CEO Elon Musk threatened to reassign National Public Radio's official account — which uses the @NPR handle — to "another company" on Tuesday, weeks after the non-profit media…

TPM – Talking Points Memo
Show threadMartin NuttyMay 4, 2023

/10 Looks like #ElonMusk has just realized that public service announcements are additive to #Twitter. Could be, requiring public agencies pay for access to the #TwitterAPI might cool said organization’s enthusiasm for the #SocialMediaPlatform

https://www.foxbusiness.com/technology/new-reversal-twitter-after-move-sparked-mta-withdrawl.amp

New reversal by Twitter after move sparked MTA withdrawl | Fox Business

Twitter says it has restored free access to a key tool for verified government and “publicly owned" services so they can tweet weather, transit and other alerts.

Show threadMartin NuttyMay 6, 2023

11) The #TwitterBlue value proposition appears to be lacking. Churn rates on the service are extraordinarily high. Without a bona fide set of support services to truly validate users, #BlueCheckMarks have become meaningless. Chalk this one up as an #EpicFail

https://mashable.com/article/half-of-twitter-blue-earliest-subscribers-no-longer-subscribed

Over half of Twitter Blue's earliest subscribers are no longer subscribed

The early birds cancel their subscriptions.

Mashable
Show threadMartin NuttyMay 10, 2023

12) Another day, another degradation of the #Twitter work environment because you know employees shouldn't be letting child birth get in the way of #ElonMusk world domination

https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/hr-topics/benefits/pages/twitter-cuts-paid-parental-leave-policy.aspx

#Family #TwitterMigration #WorkLifeBalance #PaidLeave

Twitter Slashes Parental Leave Policy

​The social media giant is slashing its paid parental leave policy by 90 percent in some cases, according to new reports.

SHRM
Show threadMartin NuttyJun 5, 2023

13) Increasingly #Twitter looks like a seedy, battered, casino property. There are plenty of adds for erectile dysfunction and bongs likely encouraging mainstream advertsiers to stay away. Or might it be the bigotry encourage by #ElonMusk under the guise of #FreeSpeech?

The #NYT is out with a story based on an internal presentation from Twitter showing a 59% decline in YOY ad revenues for April.

All is clearly not well

#TwitterMigration #Twexit

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/05/technology/twitter-ad-sales-musk.html

Twitter’s U.S. Ad Sales Plunge 59% as Woes Continue

In internal forecasts, the company projected that ad sales would keep declining, handing a tough challenge to its new chief executive.

The New York Times
Show threadMartin NuttyJul 5, 2023

14) Another clownish misstep from #Twitter is drawing to a close. Clearly an attempt to force people to register on the site, I imagine the hope was to increase the MAUs

#TwitterMigration #Twexit

https://techcrunch.com/2023/07/05/twitter-silently-removes-login-requirement-for-viewing-tweets/

TechCrunch is part of the Yahoo family of brands

Show threadMartin NuttyJul 6, 2023

15) Meanwhile the Facebook/Meta complex has lumbered onto to the stage to take a crack at #Twitter’s microblogging empire

Nice for those who feel they can trust #Zuckerberg. I’m sure he’ll be kind to your personal data even if he’s not as erratic as #Elon

#TwitterMigration #Twexit

https://www.irishtimes.com/technology/big-tech/2023/07/06/threads-app-metas-twitter-rival-logs-five-million-users-in-first-four-hours-after-going-live/

Threads app: Meta’s Twitter rival logs five million users in first four hours after going live

Instagram-linked app rolls out in US and UK but is unavailable in EU over regulatory concerns

The Irish Times
Show threadMartin NuttyJul 9, 2023

16) Yup that’s a real good look for #Twitter. So much for the virtue of #BlueCheckMarks. Now that designation has become a symbol for #disinformation

#Twexit #TwitterMigration #Ukraine

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-66113460

Twitter Blue accounts fuel Ukraine War misinformation

False and misleading claims about the war in Ukraine are being widely shared.

BBC News
Show threadMartin NuttyJul 9, 2023

17) I think this cartoon from Bruce MacKinnon captures the current state of #Twitter and #ElonMusk’s judicious approach to managing a prime #SocialMedia property

#TwitterMigration #Twexit

https://www.saltwire.com/atlantic-canada/opinion/bruce-mackinnon-cartoon-bittertwitterpill-to-swallow-100788815/

BRUCE MacKINNON CARTOON: #BitterTwitterPill to swallow

Explore stories from Atlantic Canada.

Saltwire Network
Show threadMartin NuttyJul 9, 2023

18) How much do people dislike #Twitter? Enough for 70 million users to sign up for #Threads two days into it’s launch!! That’s the equivalent of 15% - 20% of Twitter’s active users.

How many of those 70 million know that threads is part of the #Meta, sell your data to anyone complex, is a question that is likely not on the radar.

We might be at an odd moment when #Zuckerberg is considered a benign #SocialMedia actor compared to #ElonMusk

#TwitterMigration

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-07-07/meta-s-threads-has-70-million-signups-surprising-zuckerberg

Meta’s Threads Has 70 Million Signups, Surprising Zuckerberg

Meta Platforms Inc.’s new social media app Threads has garnered 70 million users in just two days after its launch, a sign of enthusiasm that Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg said was “way beyond our expectations.”

Bloomberg
Show threadMartin NuttyJul 9, 2023

19) Speaking of #Meta and #Zuckerberg, Fast Company is out with a review of #Threads and it’s certainly not complementary.

Pretty surprising that the app was launched without support for #HashTags!

#TwitterMigration #TwitterExodus #Twitter

https://www.fastcompany.com/90919575/zuckerberg-one-job-threads-ux

Show threadMartin NuttyJul 12, 2023

20) #Twitter is not worried about the reported 100 million #Threads signups, it’s just blocking URL’s which reference the new #Meta service.

Disappointing to see so many people jumping from one #SocialMedia oligarch to another. Do they really think that #Zuckerberg can be relied on to be less willful than #ElonMusk?

#TwitterExodus #TwitterMigration

https://techcrunch.com/2023/07/11/twitter-blocks-links-to-rival-threads-while-ceo-downplays-reports-of-traffic-decline/

TechCrunch is part of the Yahoo family of brands

Show threadMartin NuttyJul 12, 2023

21) How far along the #Twitter wrecking curve are we?

@lopezlinette has the detailed litany and when gathered together, rather than from the daily assault of #Elonmusk’s narcissistic foolishness, it’s even more damning

That said, there is no alternative that has an obvious lead in supplanting the #BirdSite, plenty of contenders, but they’re just nibbling so far.

https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-killed-twitter-irrelevant-meta-threads-debt-mark-zuckerberg-2023-7

Elon Musk hasn't killed Twitter, he's just made it irrelevant

From rate limits to Threads, it's clear that Elon Musk's "new and improved" Twitter is losing the one thing that made it special.

Insider
Show threadMartin NuttyJul 13, 2023

22) Looks like @catvalente took unfiltered dictation from my brain as we watched the #Musk vs #Zuckerberg which personal data sucking #oligarch do you want to support, play out

Does anyone get it?

Seriously I wish I could write with as much comedic profanity and stay on point at the same time

#TwitterMigration #TwitterExodus

https://catvalente.substack.com/p/mark-fking-zuckerberg-is-not-your

Mark F***king Zuckerberg Is Not Your Friend

You know, I had other things I wanted to yell about.

Welcome to Garbagetown
Show threadMartin NuttyJul 13, 2023

23) David French of the #NYTimes with some thoughts on how attempts to enable toxic #RightWing demagogues and their bankrupt ideas on #Twitter yielded an enormous opportunity for #Threads

Sadly he fails to note/appreciate that throwing your lot in with #Zuckerberg’s new social media project, might be quietly toxic for democracy. Do you remember #CamebridgeAnalytica?

#TwitterMigration #TwitterExodus #ElonMusk #SocialMedia

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/13/opinion/twitter-new-right.html

Opinion | Twitter Shows, Again, the Failure of the New Right’s Theory of Power

How to take something that has flaws — and break it completely.

The New York Times
Show threadMartin NuttyJul 15, 2023

24) How do signups look for #Threads?

Is the volume accelerating or not?

Here’s a chart

First 24 hours yields 50 million

Second 50 million takes a little more than 3 days.

Unsurprisingly the growth is not linear despite the extraordinary volume.

Will the next 10 days yield another 100 million?

I’m guessing not.

Opinions?

#TwitterMigration #TwitterExofus

Show threadMartin NuttyJul 18, 2023

25) Things are not going well at a #SocialMedia service, when it‘s on the receiving end of a scathing take from the sober pages of @foreignpolicy

I’d also suggest that the financial situation for #Twitter is increasingly precarious. The debt burden of $12 billion and Twitter’s ability to service the payments is questionable and may threaten ongoing operations. #ElonMusk May need to ante up again.

With thanks to @miah_he for the great piece

#TwitterMigration

https://foreignpolicy.com/2023/07/15/elon-musk-twitter-blue-checks-verification-disinformation-propaganda-russia-china-trust-safety/

Elon Musk's Twitter Is Becoming a Sewer of Disinformation

Changes to the platform have systematically amplified authoritarian state propaganda.

Foreign Policy
Show threadMartin NuttyJul 19, 2023

26) It’s no surprise that advertisers have fled #Twitter. #ElonMusk has admitted a 50% drop in revenues. Those advertisers are not going to return soon knowing that their ad placements could pop up next to a racist post from the likes of Nick Fuentes.

Coupled with $13 billion of debt, the company is in more than a shaky position. Are #oligarch types going to be willing to throw more money at this sinking ship to curry favor with his Muskness?

#TwitterMigration

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-07-19/twitter-s-surge-in-harmful-content-a-barrier-to-advertiser-return?in_source=embedded-checkout-banner

Twitter’s Surge in Harmful Content a Barrier to Advertiser Return

Since Musk’s takeover, a number of researchers see a rise in hate speech, violent content

Bloomberg
Show threadMartin NuttyJul 23, 2023

27) Day 269 since the #ElonMusk Twitter acquisition and the latest change appears to be a pure exercise in narrcisism and self sabotage.

#Twitter is not in need of renaming and rebranding, it is in need of investment to prop its creaky technical infrastructure, and a serious content managment effort which might lure advertisers back; they're not fond of #HardRight wackadoos and agents of #disinformation

Don't hold your breath folks

#SocialMedia #TwitterMigration

https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-twitter-logo-x-bird-d58758cdd3f8441e7d2c8d3ac827ba90

Musk says Twitter to change logo to "X" from the bird. Changes could come as early as Monday.

Elon Musk plans to change the logo of Twitter to an “X” from the famous blue bird, marking what would be the latest big change since he bought the social media platform for $44 billion last year. In a series of posts on his Twitter account starting just after 12 a.m. ET on Sunday, Twitter’s owner said that he’s looking to make the change worldwide as soon as Monday. Earlier this month, Musk put new curfews on his digital town square, a move that sparked criticism that it could drive away advertisers and undermine its cultural influence as a trendsetter.

AP News
Show threadMartin NuttyJul 25, 2023

28) A scathing obituary for #Twitter from @oliverdarcy at @CNN

Not much to argue with here as the #ElonMusk wrecking ball continues to level the edifice of a once extraordinary #SocialMedia company

Twitter mortuus est. Vivat Mastodon

#TwitterMigration

https://view.newsletters.cnn.com/messages/1690244421853473db90eb089/raw?utm_term=1690244421853473db90eb089&utm_source=cnn_Reliable+Sources+-+July+24%2C+2023&utm_medium=email&bt_ee=Y6HgFOq7qT%2FcZ1pSauo%2BuLa1k8ya%2BKmLCA4R6ip0u4xAmfpuJ%2F4dNTI2EiHA2jKOjG3Hh1J3GJA0TWoqwR2UxQ%3D%3D&bt_ts=1690244421856

Show threadMartin NuttyJul 28, 2023

29) #ElonMusk wants to turn the #SocialMedia company formerly known as #Twitter into an #EverythingApp

Pretty interesting that there is an expectation of turning over personal financial information to an entity that can barely handle text postings at the moment.

Yeah I want to tell #Elon all about my money 🙄

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-07-27/why-rebrand-twitter-x-elon-musk-s-everything-app-explained-quicktake

@CNN @oliverdarcy

Why Did Elon Musk Rebrand Twitter X, and What's an Everything App?

Long before Elon Musk’s $44 billion purchase of Twitter Inc. last year, he would talk about building an all-encompassing service called “X.” In typical Musk fashion, the concept was expansive and amorphous. Then over a weekend in July, he kickstarted that venture by abruptly changing the name and logo of the influential social media platform. Now dubbed X, it’s the start of the billionaire’s vision to transform Twitter into what he’s calling “the everything app.”

Bloomberg
Show threadMartin NuttyAug 2, 2023

30) In a true sign of #ElonMusk's sucess in monitizing #Twitter's blue checkmark, some poor coding creature was charged with making said checkmark hideable

The old #BlueCheckmark has come a long way in 10 months. What was once and indicator of authenticity and influence has now degraded into what exactly?

Please fill in the blank:
The X Blue Checkmark signifies ________

#Sad #SocialMedia

https://www.theverge.com/2023/8/2/23816924/twitter-x-blue-subscribers-hide-blue-check-option

Twitter Blue subscribers can now hide their blue checks

Twitter has added an option to hide the notorious blue checkmark for Blue subscribers. It comes just as Elon Musk has been rebranding Twitter to X.

The Verge
Show threadMartin NuttyAug 3, 2023

31) Just in case you were wondering whether #X would retain the term #Tweet, apparently that is being tossed onto the garbage pile along with #Twitter

#ElonMusk is expunging every element of the #BlueBird brand, it will be no more

#NYT has the goods tweet will be replaced by post, I guess xost wasn’t a runner

All this is the most extensive case of brand vandalism I’ve observed

Rock On #Elon LOL

🔑 https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/03/technology/twitter-x-tweets-elon-musk.html

So What Do We Call Twitter Now Anyway?

With Elon Musk’s rebranding of the app, is Twitter’s name really retired? What about tweets? We unravel the terminology puzzle.

The New York Times
Show threadMartin NuttyAug 5, 2023

32) On #X, digital eviction is part of the new operating philosophy

Fond of your X handle, well a hammer can come down anytime and change things arbitrarily. Too bad if you thought you owned a handle, that’s certainly not the case on #ElonMusk’s X.

Just another case being made for decentralized #SocialMedia and #Mastodon

#Twitter #Oligarchs

https://www.pcmag.com/news/elon-musk-swipes-control-of-another-twitter-account-this-time-at-music

Elon Musk Swipes Control of Another Twitter Account, This Time @Music

After seizing the @X account, Twitter has taken over the @music handle from an Ohio man who had been using it for over 16 years.

PCMag
Show threadMartin NuttyAug 16, 2023

33) Another day, another petulant use of power by #ElonMusk

#X formerly known as #Twitter is adding to its pile of reasons to leave the degrading #SocialMedia site

The site is still heavily favored by many #NewsMedia professionals. Is it time to reconsider their support for the blighted site?

#Journalism #Journalist

https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2023/08/15/twitter-x-links-delayed/

Elon Musk’s X is throttling traffic to websites he dislikes

The delayed websites include X’s online rivals Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky and Substack as well as Reuters and the New York Times, all of which Musk previously has singled out for ridicule or attack.

The Washington Post
Show threadMartin NuttyAug 24, 2023

34) Contempt for #Journalism and #journalists is core to #ElonMusk’s world view. His latest move, detailed in #TheGuardian, is just one more swipe at #FreedomOfThePress.

Increasingly the #Twitter/ #X platform is becoming increasingly hostile to members of the #NewsMedia and yet members of the profession cling to the corrupted platform.

What or where is the tipping point?

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2023/aug/22/elon-musk-x-twitter-changes-news-links

Elon Musk to strip headlines off news links on Twitter in latest overhaul

Move by the billionaire owner of the social media site may be an attempt to drive up subscription of the app’s premium service

The Guardian
Show threadMartin Nutty

35) Day 305

#Twitter / #X’s formerly valued #BlueTick has now degenerated into a tool for scammers and frauds. #TheGuardian has the story below.

It’s extraordinary to see how quickly #ElonMusk has destroyed one of #SocialMedia’s premium brands

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2023/aug/27/consumers-complaining-x-targeted-scammers-verification-changes-twitter

Blue-tick scammers target consumers who complain on X

Misleading Twitter handles displaying paid-for icon being used to carry out phishing attacks

The Guardian
Aug 28, 2023 at 4:17pmWeb
Show threadMartin NuttySep 5, 2023

36) Another day another threat of legal action directed by #ElonMusk. His target, the ADL?

Apparently #ADL analysis reveals #HateSpeech is on the rise at #Twitter / #X since the #Musk acquisition

Coming from a supposed #FreedomOfSpeech advocate, this critique of a data driven fact based study, is more than dissonant. I guess the only speech that is acceptable in Musk land is that which aligns with his bigoted world view

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2023/sep/05/elon-musk-sue-adl-x-twitter

Elon Musk threatens to sue Anti-Defamation League over lost X revenue

World’s richest man claims civil rights group has falsely accused site formerly known as Twitter of being antisemitic

The Guardian
Show threadMartin NuttySep 16, 2023

37) Excellent graphic visualization from #TheMarkup on how #Twitter is attempting to strangle traffic to sites that #ElonMusk doesn’t like

Am I surprised? No

Is Twitter continuing to undermine its credibility? Yes

Will more users leave the site as a result? Maybe

With thanks to @dangillmor for sharing this piece. Dan is on my daily reading list and has been at the forefront of encouraging journalists to leave the #DeadBird site

https://themarkup.org/investigations/2023/09/15/twitter-is-still-throttling-competitors-links-check-for-yourself

Twitter Is Still Throttling Competitors’ Links—Check for Yourself – The Markup

Loading links to Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram, and Substack takes far longer than to other sites. We built a tool so you can check any domain you like

Show threadMartin NuttySep 21, 2023

38) Not only does he want to sell your data to the highest bidder, now #Elon Musk wants to charge you for the pleasure on a monthly basis

Is this just a trial balloon or will all users now have to pay for #twitter

Interesting how #Musk is justifying a fee as an anti bot strategy, nothing to do with the fact that all his changes have driven the network deeper into the financial ditch

#SocialMedia

https://techcrunch.com/2023/09/18/elon-musk-says-x-will-charge-users-a-small-monthly-payment-to-use-its-service

TechCrunch is part of the Yahoo family of brands

Show threadMartin NuttySep 26, 2023

39) Sometimes being the biggest and the best is not a great outcome. The #EU today designated #Twitter as the biggest purveyor of #disinformation among #SocialMedia platforms.

While that is certainly not a status that will endear you to advertisers many of whom have fled the #DeadBird site, there are bigger problems barreling towards #X should it fail to get a handle on the problem. The network could be severly sanctioned under the newly passed DigitalServicesAct

https://apnews.com/article/disinformation-musk-x-twitter-european-union-9f7823726f812bb357ee4225b884354f

Musk's X is the biggest purveyor of disinformation, EU official says

A top European Union official says the social network X, formerly known as Twitter, is the biggest source of fake news and urged owner Elon Musk to comply with the bloc’s laws aimed at combating disinformation. European Commission Vice President Vera Jourova also said Tuesday that Google, TikTok, Microsoft and Meta have more to do to tackle disinformation. She says much of it is coming from Russia, which is using social media to wage a “war of ideas” against democracy. She was providing an update on the 27-nation EU’s 2022 Code of Practice on Disinformation.

AP News
Show threadMartin NuttyOct 6, 2023

39) A question that needs to be asked by all those that continue to support / post/ patronize #Twitter

Is it morally acceptable to engage in any way, manne,r or form on Twitter?

I will admit to continuing to lurk on the #DeadBird site but was spending less and less time there.

I'm done with it now

#SocialMedia #ElonMusk

https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2023-10-05/the-moral-case-for-no-longer-engaging-with-elon-musk-s-x

The Moral Case for No Longer Engaging With Elon Musk’s X

The former Twitter is incentivizing violent content, which will only become worse to stand out to users.

Bloomberg
Show threadMartin NuttyOct 10, 2023

40) Day 347 since the #Twitter acquisition and all credibility for what was once the preferred #SocialMedia breaking news platform, has evaporated

#Wired has the story on how bad algorithms, bogus blue checks and the the elimination of Twitter’s fact checking team has resulted in a flood of #Gaza and #Israel disinformation

https://www.wired.com/story/x-israel-hamas-war-disinformation

The Israel-Hamas War Is Drowning X in Disinformation

People who have turned to X for breaking news about the Israel-Hamas conflict are being hit with old videos, fake photos, and video game footage at a level researchers have never seen.

WIRED
Show threadMartin NuttyOct 12, 2023

41) #Frontline just released an excellent history of #ElonMusk’s Twitter take over

The phrase “chaos monkey” jumped to mind in watching this extended treatment of the #Twitter takeover story

#SocialMedia

https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/documentary/elon-musks-twitter-takeover/

Elon Musk's Twitter Takeover | FRONTLINE

Watch FRONTLINE's documentary about Elon Musk’s long and often troubled relationship with Twitter.

FRONTLINE
Show threadMartin NuttyOct 22, 2023

42) #Twitter’s numbers are continuing to slide while #Threads does not seem to be gaining any traction.

A space has been made by all the madness of the last year with distrust of the #Technogarch class, #SocialMedia is up for grabs.

Will the space opt for a more decentralized solution?

https://www.bigtechnology.com/p/exclusive-data-twitter-is-shrinking

Exclusive Data: Twitter Is Shrinking Under Elon Musk

Twitter's lost 13% of its daily users and its rebrand has failed. But those remaining on the app are still engaged, according to new data from Apptopia. Threads, meanwhile, is a nonfactor.

Big Technology
Show threadMartin NuttyOct 26, 2023

43) Tomorrow will mark 1 year since #ElonMusk took control of #Twitter, what has he wroth?

.While #X is private, it is generally agreed that the company is now worth 1/3 of the acquisition price, an implosion of $30 billion in value

Attempts to monetize the platform, with user fees largely failed while top advertisers have cut back on their spend or left the platform altogether. Despite an 80% workforce reduction cash continues to hemorrhage

#SocialMedia

🔑 https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-10-25/elon-musk-s-x-looks-little-like-the-twitter-he-bought-a-year-ago

Elon Musk’s X Looks Little Like the Twitter He Bought a Year Ago

Fewer workers. Fewer users. Less revenue. And a lot more misinformation.

Bloomberg
Show threadMartin NuttyNov 8, 2023

44) #Twitter has now entered the twilight zone where a once proud brand, used to source #BreakingNews, is now begining to be discounted as a useful #news sourcing tool

How long will it take before it will drop to complete irrelevance for #journalists and #politicians? The war in #Gaza has revealed just how unreliable a source it has become. There is nothing in #ElonMusk's plans that will make it better

The only constancy now on Twitter if the flow of #disinformation

https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2023/11/08/twitter-news-global-conflicts-00123806

Opinion | Twitter Gave Us an Indispensable Real-Time News Platform. X Took It Away.

The Arab Spring cemented Twitter’s indispensable role in fast-moving international stories. Elon Musk has destroyed that and given us something useless — and dangerous.

POLITICO
Show threadMartin NuttyNov 16, 2023

45) Hard to believe that anyone with a scintilla of commonsense would endorse this kind of bigotry on #Twitter

Sensible behavior has long fled #ElonMusk’s brain. As his wealth expanded, I imagine an inflated sense of self was given free rein.

Most bigots keep their #racism hidden, but when an individual is worth a couple of hundred billion, the worst types choose to indulge their #bigotry

#Bloomberg has the story 👇

#Antisemitism

🔑 https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-11-16/elon-musk-calls-anti-semitic-post-on-x-the-actual-truth

Musk Endorses Antisemitic Post on X/Twitter, Calls It 'Actual Truth'

Billionaire Elon Musk endorsed an antisemitic post on X, the social media site he owns, that attacked members of the Jewish community for pushing “dialectical hatred” against white people.

Bloomberg
Show threadMartin NuttyNov 17, 2023

46) Another day and more advertisers are fleeing #Twitter on the back of #ElonMusk’s endorsement of #FarRight #Antisemitic posts on #X. This time, #IBM has pulled the plug

The troubled #SocialMedia company has been hemorrhaging cash since the #Musk takeover a little over a year ago

Twitter is no longer a viable business. Its ability to continue to service its debt is highly questionable. How much is #Elon willing to spend to continue its operation?

https://www.theverge.com/2023/11/16/23964160/elon-musk-antisemitic-x-post-ibm-ads

IBM pulls X ads as Elon Musk endorses white pride

An investigation indicated ads from IBM and others appeared alongside pro-Nazi X content as owner Elon Musk agreed with an antisemitic post.

The Verge
Show threadMartin NuttyNov 18, 2023

47) Nothing like a little #Trumpian hyperbole to go along with the lawsuit threat.

The current world’s richest man, is upset that his #SocialMedia plaything aka #X, formerly #Twitter is being damaged by #MediaMatters. Apparently he wants to destroy the company all on his own

Is it just me, or does anybody else feel that #ElonMusk and #DonaldTrump have done a mind meld?

I’m sure #Trump would like to have #Musk’s bank account merged into his

https://www.politico.eu/article/elon-musk-threatens-thermonuclear-lawsuit-twitter-x-ad-boycott-media-matters/

Musk threatens ‘thermonuclear lawsuit’ as X ad boycott gathers pace

Companies including Disney, Apple and IBM reportedly have suspended advertising on X amid an antisemitism storm around the social media platform.

POLITICO
Show threadMartin NuttyNov 18, 2023

48) Looks like a new record broken by #ElonMusk.

Apparently #X the #SocialMedia network formerly known has #Twitter has lost more major million dollar advertisers in one day, than any other social media company

Congrats #Elon. I’m relying on you to improve on that performance. I’m sure you can be even more bigoted with a little practice.

Maybe tune into #DonaldTrump rally to get a few pointers?

https://www.npr.org/2023/11/17/1213836636/advertiser-exodus-grows-as-elon-musks-x-struggles-to-calm-concerns-over-antisemi

Show threadMartin NuttyNov 27, 2023

49) Glad to see Ann Hidalgo, the mayor of Paris, calling it quits on #Twitter

Is your elected representative still playing in the sewers of #X? Maybe they should be encouraged to do otherwise?

Time to start encouraging your representative to leave the nightmare that #ElonMusk has constructed behind. Maybe they should be encouraged to join #Mastodon where real engagement happens?

#SocialMedia #Politics

https://www.politico.eu/article/paris-mayor-hidalgo-quits-elon-musks-x-says-its-become-vast-worldwide-sewer/

‘Vast worldwide sewer’: Paris mayor quits X with swipe at Elon Musk

‘This platform and its owner act deliberately to exacerbate tensions and conflicts,’ Anne Hidalgo says.

POLITICO
Show threadMartin NuttyDec 2, 2023

50) With the latest #ElonMusk public tantrum, #Twitter moves closer to bankruptcy.

When the company was taken private in Oct last year it was larded up with $13 billion of debt. Servicing that debt in addition to ongoing operations is increasingly questionable without an additional cash infusion

Will #Musk ante up by liquidating some of his Tesla/SpaceX holdings? I’m highly sceptical of the likelihood that existing investors will wish to throw good money after bad

https://theguardian.com/technology/2023/nov/30/can-elon-musk-stop-x-going-to-the-wall-after-tirade-at-advertisers

Can Elon Musk stop X going to the wall after tirade at advertisers?

Ad revenue used to service debt unlikely to return soon, meaning deal with lenders or cash injection may be needed

The Guardian
Show threadk cavaliereDec 2, 2023
@mnutty I'm concerned that our gov is working with the obviously unstable, "self medicated", detached, life is a video game #Musk. What is the risk to the public?
Show threadMartin NuttyDec 2, 2023

@thinking_images

Multiple concerns. From a national security point of view, there is too much dependence on his low orbital satellite network. That’s an issue #Ukraine has had to deal with.

Show threadk cavaliereDec 2, 2023
@mnutty Exactly. #Musk inserts himself and his (questionable) opinions/insights into everything, and he believes that he is the only trustworthy news source. His erratic behavior is not worth the risk.
Show threadMartin NuttyDec 3, 2023

@thinking_images

He strikes me as a desperately damaged man deeply in need of adulation, something he has in common with the last president

Show threadMartin NuttyDec 7, 2023

50) Interesting effort from the wonderful folks at @indivisibleteam - see the link below

As denizens of #Mastodon, a question we have to ask of ourselves is to what degree we should persuade friends colleagues and those we admire to leave the blighted #Twitter platform? Is there a moral obligation?

#SocialMedia #X #ElonMusk

https://www.xlast.org

xlast

Collective action to address X's hateful, dangerous direction and help strengthen better, more functional alternatives.

xlast
Show threadMartin NuttyDec 11, 2023

51) Another day, another step downward towards complete irrelevance.

At the behest of #ElonMusk, #X has reinstated #AlexJones

While #Musk claims to champion #FreeSpeech, he clearly has little interest in truthful speech. The US courts have found Jones guilty of the most mean spirited fabulation, but I guess truth and honesty are of little relevance in the mind of the world’s richest man

#FarRight #SocialMedia @dangillmor

https://www.npr.org/2023/12/10/1218453370/elon-musk-allows-controversial-conspiracy-theorist-alex-jones-back-on-x

Show threadMartin NuttyDec 13, 2023

52) The Verge is out with a big series on #Twitter. While I don’t thing Twitter died in 2023, I think that’s a plausible outcome in the upcoming year.

Clearly Twitter is going to have increased difficulties servicing its $13 billion debt and I highly doubt that #ElonMusk will find outside investors willing to ante up good money after bad to keep the outfit afloat. The only question left is whether #Musk is willing to liquidate some of his portfolio to prop things up

https://www.theverge.com/c/23972308/twitter-x-death-tweets-history-elon-musk

The year Twitter died: a special series from The Verge

Twitter was many things: a news accelerator, a harassment engine, and an infinite joke machine. It will be missed.

The Verge
Show threadGatekeeper..Dec 13, 2023
@mnutty
Elon's goal is to twart the election. Adding the Nazis is proof. He'll sacrafice his portfolio for that..no problem.
Show threadRichard Michael BlaberDec 11, 2023
@mnutty @dangillmor No longer the world's richest man, in fact. Musk has lost a fortune, thanks to Twitter/"X", & his other businesses.
Show threadMartin NuttyDec 11, 2023

@rmblaber1956 @dangillmor

I try to avoid spending to much time tracking the vacillations of obscene #garch wealth

Certainly #Twitter has become a significant sinkhole for #ElonMusk and will likely go bankrupt in the not too distant future. That is unless #Musk decides to incinerate more of his fortune through wealth implosion management techniques deployed at #X

Show threadSilversaltyNov 18, 2023
@mnutty
It's like he tags their ads with swastika labeled shit pile emojis and then wonders why they don't want to continue that way. And they have to pay him for that feature.
Show threadMartin NuttyNov 18, 2023

@Silversalty

LOL. He seems bent on destroying what little commercial viability #Twitter had left

Show threadNot My JobNov 18, 2023
@mnutty Still, he blew up his rocket like an expert. :-)
Show threadMartin NuttyNov 19, 2023

@Historyan2

LOL interesting to see the spin this evening on how how this was somewhat of a success

Show threadShailesh Kumar 🇫🇯🇺🇸Nov 18, 2023
@mnutty 🤭🤣👏👏👏
Show threadArena Cops 🇺🇦✌Nov 18, 2023
@mnutty 🙃 Elon is as formidable a "businessman" as Putin is a smart "field commander".
Show threadMartin NuttyNov 19, 2023
@ArenaCops m
lol 👍
Show thread72mzNov 18, 2023
@mnutty
They can always count on the pillow guy.
Show threadMartin NuttyNov 19, 2023

@72mz

If that’s the backstop they’re in deep doodoo

Show threadToniNov 18, 2023
@mnutty @DemocracyMattersALot Viva Elon, nadie hizo nunca tanto por el #fediverse.
Show threadClinton Anderson SwordForHireNov 17, 2023
@mnutty Good riddance to it.
Show threadLazarou Monkey Terror 🚀💙🌈Nov 16, 2023
@mnutty he feels untouchable, and perhaps, thanks to his money....he is 😔
Show threadCiarán FerrieOct 26, 2023
@mnutty it's quite incredible how much damage he has done in such a short time. It's almost as if he's not quite as clever as his admirers make him out to be!
Show threadMartin NuttyOct 26, 2023

@ccferrie

Some have theorized that the #Twitter acquisition was driven by the desire to hijack the platform to flood the #SocialMedia ecosystem with #Disinformation

Why do that?

Some #Technogarchs like #ElonMusk would like to dispense with nation interference disrupting their fantastical projects

Best way to do that is, create #FUD, disrupt the political system, destabilize fiat currencies, get #DonaldTrump back in the White House etc

Total #ChaosMonkey stuff

Show threadlife mask (jeff)Oct 26, 2023
@mnutty @ccferrie they are only disinforming each other. The sensible ones have all left. I hope.
Show threadMartin NuttyOct 26, 2023

@thirdwhaletrip @ccferrie

A lot of #journalists still squatting there in the ruins of the place. Dreck can be filtered out using lists.

Whether we like it or not, #Twitter is still a place people go to for #BreakingNews. That notion is being called into question with the widely reported flood of #Gaza war #disinformation

In my view #X is now a dangerous destabilizing sewer. Continued support of the #SocialMedia platform is highly questionable

Show threadCiarán FerrieOct 26, 2023

@mnutty I think that's giving him more credit than he's due, tbf.

"Never ascribe to malice that which is adequately explained by incompetence"

Show threadMartin NuttyOct 26, 2023

@ccferrie hopefully you’re right

That is the mystery about #Elonmusk, is he an accidental billionaire who blundered into his wealth through a series of lucky efforts or is he a malign genius?

Hopefully the former, I’m wary of the latter

Show threadSteve BOct 10, 2023

@mnutty The funny thing is that many media organisations slagging X still have active accounts there!

You can't be part of the problem and complain about the problem.

Show threadMartin NuttyOct 10, 2023

@Steveb

Yeah, I agree that is not logically sustainable

Show threadSteve BOct 6, 2023
@mnutty I’m there purely for fesshole.
Show threadRobert TuckOct 6, 2023

@mnutty I no longer post anything on Twitter, but I do pop back occasionally as there's a lot of people on it who don't post here.

Honestly, I haven't noticed any change at all in my feed since the rebrand when I left. I think that's mainly because I already had my feed pretty well dialled in and I'd already blocked Musk, JP, everyone in GB News and all the other sources of crap, and marked every post about the royal family as "not interested".

If you curate your X feed, it is perfectly fine.

Show threadMartin NuttyOct 6, 2023

@MatryoshkaLimit

I noticed last time I was on that I was getting some pretty right wing stuff shoved into my feed specifically in the alerts section.

In my case I used lists to narrow down what I was really interested in. Likely because I follow the political world, the algorithm was serving up some nasty stuff.

Frankly life is short, there are far better things to do

Show threadRobert TuckOct 6, 2023

@mnutty I found some stuff got through because of transitive follows - if an account you follow follows someone, those posts can get promoted in your For You feed, you can (or could) see this when you click the post - I unfollowed those accounts and that seems to fix it. But mainly it's a reflexive, it only takes a few clicks to block someone if a bad post pops up.

Most of this stuff is via a small number of high profile accounts that amplify and retweet.

Block first ask questions later IMO

Show threadLeisureguySep 16, 2023
@mnutty @dangillmor Regarding the journalists who remain on Twitter: I don't think they would leave even if Musk shot someone in the middle of Fifth Avenue. They have made their peace with Musk and with Twitter's hospitality toward white supremacists, and they will stick with it no matter what.
Show threadMartin NuttySep 16, 2023

@Leisureguy

I’ll push back against that. I think for many in that hectic profession, they have not stopped to think deeply about it in a swirling life of deadlines.

Even in a quiet moment I can imagine the sense of dread in abandoning a following built over years

For some, I think they don’t want to cede the ground, that somehow they can resist and thereby preserve their social capital. I think they are mistaken in this. If anything I can see a future where #Twitter is bankrupt

Show threadLeisureguySep 16, 2023
@mnutty So what do you think would make them leave? Will they stick to Twitter until it goes bankrupt and ceases operation? Or can you think of something that would be sufficiently bad that they would leave? What would that be?
Show threadMartin NuttySep 17, 2023

@Leisureguy

I think banning more journalists for criticizing #ElonMusk or one of his sacred cows might trigger more departures. The ensuing outrage would have an impact for some

This is a process, I think a slow slide into irrelevancy rather than a sudden catastrophic event

Show threadLeisureguySep 16, 2023

@mnutty It reminds me of how Republicans will accept anything — for example:

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/texas-attorney-general-ken-paxton-acquitted-impeachment-trial-rcna104816

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton acquitted in impeachment trial

Paxton was impeached for allegedly taking bribes, but ultimately members of his party chose not to vote for his conviction and removal from office.

NBC News
Show threadMartin NuttySep 17, 2023

@Leisureguy

A deeply unserious political party with no devotion to the rule of law

Show threadSteve BSep 5, 2023

@mnutty I Was just watching the BBC News. They had one of those little segments that they run randomly throughout the day, bit like a little advert for themselves.

The one they just ran includes #elonmusk saying "It's important to listen to people you don't like and it's important to hear to things you don't like". Or words to that effect.

How I laughed.

Show threadMartin NuttySep 5, 2023

@Steveb

Indeed. I might add it’s important to listen to types you don’t like so that you can know them for what they are and protect yourself from their worst depredations

Show threadxXxSharkPuncher360xXxSep 5, 2023
@mnutty
How is this man so filthy rich? Oh yes, we live in a society that rewards rich people for being facile and unscrupulous! In that case, carry on, and I'm SO looking forward to reaping what this brave new world has sewn for us. /s
Show threadJoePAug 28, 2023

@mnutty

"It’s extraordinary to see how quickly #ElonMusk has destroyed one of #SocialMedia’s premium brands" - it's getting increasingly hard not to think that Musk is actively trying to destroy what was Twitter.