Thousands of accounts spreading misinformation about COVID-19 during the pandemic will be brought back. Abusive content appears to be regulated by fewer people, despite Musk’s claims otherwise. Meanwhile, Musk continues his accusation against Apple and Google and tweets about how Coca-Cola products bring him joy.
Here’s what you need to know about Elon Musk’s Twitter today.
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Twitter will no longer ban COVID disinformation
November 29, 1:30 p.m
Disinformation about COVID-19 will no longer be banned on Twitter.
As first reported by CNN, Twitter will no longer enforce a pandemic-era policy aimed at reducing misinformation and misinformation about COVID-19 on the platform, apparently in Musk’s endless push for unfettered “free speech.”
“Effective November 23, 2022, Twitter is no longer enforcing the COVID-19 Misinformation Policy,” read the official Twitter site, with no particular explanation as to why this policy was lifted. Over 11,000 accounts have been banned since 2020 for spreading misinformation on the platform, according to a pre-Musk report from the company.
Already, high-profile accounts — such as Marjorie Taylor Greene’s personal account — that were previously suspended for violating this rule have returned to the platform. Musk promotes the volunteer-run Community Notes feature as a vehicle to correct misinformation on the site (including his), but it may not be enough to stem the tide of disinformation that is likely to return.
It looks like Elon Musk has let down the Twitter team for child safety
November 29, 1:30 p.m
Elon Musk has reportedly fired Twitter’s internal team responsible for restricting child sexual abuse content from the platform, despite claiming that “eliminating child exploitation is the #1 priority” for Twitter.
It is possible that this — not any imposition about “freedom of speech” as Musk claims — will be the reason why the Twitter app may be removed from the respective Apple and Google app stores.
“This will forever be our top priority,” Musk said he tweeted early Tuesday morning.
Elon Musk’s Twitter is failing to pay some employees
November 28, 4 p.m
Some Twitter employees in the UK and Ireland are not being paid as promised, according to a report by Ars Technica Monday.
The tech news site, after speaking to four employees, claims workers have yet to receive payments – leading to overdrafts and rejected mortgage payments for some.
This also appears to include employees who were laid off shortly after Musk took over. One laid-off employee claims he has yet to be paid back for work he did before being removed from the company, while another claims a payment was made – and then immediately reversed.
It is not clear why the payments did not go through; some affected workers reportedly received an email claiming that “recipient banks were subject to anti-fraud checks,” according to Ars Technica.