Twitter says it received’t enable “free promotion” of different social media platforms, later deletes tweet mentioning the coverage change, Musk apologizes

Twitter has revealed one shock after one other on Elon Musk’s “free speech” promise, and now, it has made one more un-free change to coverage. In a thread of tweets shared on Sunday, the social media firm revealed that it might now not enable “free promotion” of different social media platforms by itself micro-blogging web site.

“We acknowledge that a lot of our customers are energetic on different social media platforms. Nevertheless, we are going to now not enable free promotion of sure social media platforms on Twitter,” the corporate mentioned within the newest change carried out within the Musk period. The corporate delved a bit additional into the (surprising) change, clarifying that it’ll now not enable customers to submit usernames and hyperlinks to their accounts on different social media platforms, and would take away such content material from its web site.

And in an attention-grabbing twist, Twitter Help appears to have deleted the thread that introduced the coverage adjustments. Making an attempt to entry the thread exhibits the next textual content, “Hmm…this web page doesn’t exist. Strive trying to find one thing else.”

The platforms in query are a number of the largest names within the social media sphere – Fb, Instagram, Mastodon, Fact Social, Tribel, Submit, and Nostr. Seeing the larger image, this transfer by Twitter makes some kind of weird sense – particularly since a few of these have been touted to achieve success alternate options to Twitter. Moreover, the corporate knowledgeable us that it might be eradicating these accounts that have been created solely for the promotion of different social media platforms.

So the following time you tweet, “comply with me @username on Instagram,” you can be violating Twitter’s coverage and will probably be required to delete the “offending tweets.” Cross-posting of content material from different social media platforms remains to be an choice, Twitter Help clarified within the thread, including that customers who posted hyperlinks or usernames to social media platforms that weren’t listed above (like LinkedIn) have been allowed as effectively.

It additionally comes as a major quantity of customers have been leaving (or proven an curiosity in leaving) the micro-blogging web site after a number of of Musk’s antics and selections relating to the corporate have generated their good bit of controversy and resulted in a mass exodus of staff and executives. Therefore, it is smart that Twitter wouldn’t wish to have an effect on its backside line by letting an avenue that can let its customers go to different platforms persist on its web site. However this transfer additionally appears to be an anti-competitive one, which is one thing to be famous, contemplating that Musk had mentioned large issues about reworking Twitter right into a hub of free speech, and describes himself as a “free speech absolutist.” It will probably additionally draw ire and elevated scrutiny from the FTC, which has been actively working to halt anti-competitive practices made by Massive Tech corporations.

“Wow, for this ‘new and improved platform’ that claims [its] largest precedence is Free Speech, there appear to be a LOT of asterisks as to what Free speech means,” actor Josh Gad mentioned in a Twitter submit.

Twitter co-founder and CEO Jack Dorsey summed up his emotions in regards to the coverage in a single tweet – “Why?”

Why?

— jack (@jack) December 18, 2022

Washington Submit’s Taylor Lorenz discovered her account suspended late Saturday after she shared a submit with hyperlinks to her different social media accounts, but it surely was restored the following day. Musk claimed the suspension was resulting from a “prior doxxing motion.”

Apparently that is the tweet that did me in pic.twitter.com/0VEby8qzQu

— Taylor Lorenz (@TaylorLorenz) December 18, 2022

After which the omnipresent Elon Musk U-Flip

“Going ahead, there will probably be a vote for main coverage adjustments,” Musk tweeted. “My apologies. Gained’t occur once more.” And surprisingly, when a consumer requested him to place up a ballot asking if individuals wished him to resign, Musk acquiesced and posted a ballot asking if he ought to step down as head of Twitter. “I’ll abide by the outcomes of this ballot,” Musk mentioned. On the time when this text was written, 56.7% of respondents have been in favor of Musk’s stepping down.

Ought to I step down as head of Twitter? I’ll abide by the outcomes of this ballot.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 18, 2022