Author: Mike Artem
Twitter sank deeper into the scandal on Sunday, unveiling a new policy limiting the advertising of some other social media sites. This decision comes after the company removed many notable journalists from Twitter which makes other users desert to rival networks.
How it all Started
Twitter’s new policy statement comes after the site banned the accounts of famous journalists, including the Washington Post’s Taylor Lorenz and journalists from The New York Times, MSNBC, and CNN.
Elon Musk, the CEO of Twitter, stated that some reporters had breached the company’s rules prohibiting real-time sharing of people’s locations.Â
Musk also noted that Lorenz had previously been banned for “doxxing,” which is the public disclosure of personal information and history about a person, typically leading to online abuse and endless trolling.
Elon Musk Gets Rid of Competitors
After Elon Musk’s takeover as CEO of Twitter and its subsequent restoration of far-right accounts, suspension of journalists, and mass layoffs, many users looking for a way out, began publishing links to their accounts on other networks.
Last week, Twitter blocked a profile managed by competitor social media site Mastodon after it tweeted about the suspension of an account, @ElonJet, that followed Musk’s private jet’s actions.
Twitter subsequently started identifying and banning posts that included links to the site, which is becoming increasingly popular among high-profile Twitter users like Lorenz.
People are still criticizing the new policy rules. It’s strange for a self-proclaimed “free speech absolutist” CEO to ban the posting of links.Â
Some have pointed out that Tesla, Musk’s electric vehicle firm, formerly encouraged supporters to be active on its Facebook page. (Notably, he removed it in 2018). Moreover, Twitter creator Jack Dorsey criticized the company’s new policy, tweeting “why?” and “doesn’t make sense” in reply.
Platforms not Affected by the New Policy Rules
Twitter’s previous regulation modification excluded several significant social media services, most notably TikTok. According to corporate insiders, TikTok is a product of a Chinese corporation, ByteDance.Â
The Communist Party of China ultimately controls this company. Since taking over Twitter, Musk has been chastised for his intimate ties with China.
Also, the new regulation does not apply to Reddit, Twitch, Telegram, WhatsApp, WeChat, Weibo, or the right-wing networks Parler and Gab.
What will Happen if you Break the New Policy Rules
According to the social media rule, first-time offenders should erase tweets, or their accounts will ban. Furthermore, any additional violations will result in a permanent ban.
Accounts of users who violated the policy by connecting to or referencing other social media accounts in their profiles or account names will be removed. They will be obliged to delete the references lacking in the policy text.
According to Twitter, the policy would have enabled users to cross-post information from other sites and links or usernames to social networking sites that are not subject to the restriction. It further said that people who thought their accounts had been suspended or locked in error could file an appeal.
Conclusion
In general, Musk’s actions are again a strange step. Elon Musk restricts publishing links and promoting other social networks through Twitter in the name of improving Twitter. Many people have criticized Musk for his unusual behavior. Still, as the new CEO of Twitter, he has every right to protect his own.
