Elon Musk buys a big chunk of Twitter

[Mik]

Yeah, once you have enough money or ability to make a difference in something that matters to you it becomes much more important.

[Aqua Letifer]

@Horace said in Elon Musk buys a big chunk of Twitter:

@Aqua-Letifer said in Elon Musk buys a big chunk of Twitter:

@Horace said in Elon Musk buys a big chunk of Twitter:

@Aqua-Letifer said in Elon Musk buys a big chunk of Twitter:

@Horace said in Elon Musk buys a big chunk of Twitter:

I guess he's not actually all talk when it comes to free speech.

He's suppressing conversations on Twitter about Threads if those conversations portray the new platform in a positive light. Wasn't showing up on trending topics, either, when it's the fastest growing platform basically ever.

He's allowed to protect his business interests. Zuckerberg thinks his more policed version of Twitter is in his best business interest. We'll see which one wins. But Musk isn't obligated to platform advertisements or word of mouth for the competition.

He's totally allowed to do that. And Tweet "Zuck is a cuck" to his heart's content. But neither of them give a damn about free speech. They're not in the free speech business.

You can be completely cynical about it if you want. Business will be prioritized over principle time and again I'm sure, but humans are allowed some principle to color their actions, even in business. I suspect Musk saw a business opportunity in allowing more free speech on Twitter, and I suspect he considered that a win/win, rather than a win/doesn't matter.

If you're placing your business interests above free speech, then you aren't for free speech, you're for your business interests, which may include selling the idea of free speech to the public.

[Horace]

@Aqua-Letifer said in Elon Musk buys a big chunk of Twitter:

@Horace said in Elon Musk buys a big chunk of Twitter:

@Aqua-Letifer said in Elon Musk buys a big chunk of Twitter:

@Horace said in Elon Musk buys a big chunk of Twitter:

@Aqua-Letifer said in Elon Musk buys a big chunk of Twitter:

@Horace said in Elon Musk buys a big chunk of Twitter:

I guess he's not actually all talk when it comes to free speech.

He's suppressing conversations on Twitter about Threads if those conversations portray the new platform in a positive light. Wasn't showing up on trending topics, either, when it's the fastest growing platform basically ever.

He's allowed to protect his business interests. Zuckerberg thinks his more policed version of Twitter is in his best business interest. We'll see which one wins. But Musk isn't obligated to platform advertisements or word of mouth for the competition.

He's totally allowed to do that. And Tweet "Zuck is a cuck" to his heart's content. But neither of them give a damn about free speech. They're not in the free speech business.

You can be completely cynical about it if you want. Business will be prioritized over principle time and again I'm sure, but humans are allowed some principle to color their actions, even in business. I suspect Musk saw a business opportunity in allowing more free speech on Twitter, and I suspect he considered that a win/win, rather than a win/doesn't matter.

If you're placing your business interests above free speech, then you aren't for free speech, you're for your business interests, which may include selling the idea of free speech to the public.

Until a couple years ago, free speech coexisted peacefully with business decisions. Now to you it’s unthinkable that they could coexist. I would suggest that as soon as musk considers himself uncancelable, as he probably does, he can go ahead and be a bog standard American and actually place some value on free speech, like literally everybody you ever met, until recently. Ok maybe not literally.

[Aqua Letifer]

@Horace said in Elon Musk buys a big chunk of Twitter:

@Aqua-Letifer said in Elon Musk buys a big chunk of Twitter:

@Horace said in Elon Musk buys a big chunk of Twitter:

@Aqua-Letifer said in Elon Musk buys a big chunk of Twitter:

@Horace said in Elon Musk buys a big chunk of Twitter:

@Aqua-Letifer said in Elon Musk buys a big chunk of Twitter:

@Horace said in Elon Musk buys a big chunk of Twitter:

I guess he's not actually all talk when it comes to free speech.

He's suppressing conversations on Twitter about Threads if those conversations portray the new platform in a positive light. Wasn't showing up on trending topics, either, when it's the fastest growing platform basically ever.

He's allowed to protect his business interests. Zuckerberg thinks his more policed version of Twitter is in his best business interest. We'll see which one wins. But Musk isn't obligated to platform advertisements or word of mouth for the competition.

He's totally allowed to do that. And Tweet "Zuck is a cuck" to his heart's content. But neither of them give a damn about free speech. They're not in the free speech business.

You can be completely cynical about it if you want. Business will be prioritized over principle time and again I'm sure, but humans are allowed some principle to color their actions, even in business. I suspect Musk saw a business opportunity in allowing more free speech on Twitter, and I suspect he considered that a win/win, rather than a win/doesn't matter.

If you're placing your business interests above free speech, then you aren't for free speech, you're for your business interests, which may include selling the idea of free speech to the public.

Until a couple years ago, free speech coexisted peacefully with business decisions. Now to you it’s unthinkable that they could coexist.

I think that would be apparent to anyone paying the least bit of attention to anything in the past 15 years.

I would suggest that as soon as musk considers himself uncancelable, as he probably does, he can go ahead and be a bog standard American and actually place some value on free speech, like literally everybody you ever met, until recently. Ok maybe not literally.

I have no idea what you're talking about. Everyone I know places a high degree of value on the opinions they like not being censored, which isn't free speech at all.

And to call Twitter a "free speech platform" is ridiculous to the point of not worth explaining.

[Horace]

@Aqua-Letifer said in Elon Musk buys a big chunk of Twitter:

@Horace said in Elon Musk buys a big chunk of Twitter:

@Aqua-Letifer said in Elon Musk buys a big chunk of Twitter:

@Horace said in Elon Musk buys a big chunk of Twitter:

@Aqua-Letifer said in Elon Musk buys a big chunk of Twitter:

@Horace said in Elon Musk buys a big chunk of Twitter:

@Aqua-Letifer said in Elon Musk buys a big chunk of Twitter:

@Horace said in Elon Musk buys a big chunk of Twitter:

I guess he's not actually all talk when it comes to free speech.

He's suppressing conversations on Twitter about Threads if those conversations portray the new platform in a positive light. Wasn't showing up on trending topics, either, when it's the fastest growing platform basically ever.

He's allowed to protect his business interests. Zuckerberg thinks his more policed version of Twitter is in his best business interest. We'll see which one wins. But Musk isn't obligated to platform advertisements or word of mouth for the competition.

He's totally allowed to do that. And Tweet "Zuck is a cuck" to his heart's content. But neither of them give a damn about free speech. They're not in the free speech business.

You can be completely cynical about it if you want. Business will be prioritized over principle time and again I'm sure, but humans are allowed some principle to color their actions, even in business. I suspect Musk saw a business opportunity in allowing more free speech on Twitter, and I suspect he considered that a win/win, rather than a win/doesn't matter.

If you're placing your business interests above free speech, then you aren't for free speech, you're for your business interests, which may include selling the idea of free speech to the public.

Until a couple years ago, free speech coexisted peacefully with business decisions. Now to you it’s unthinkable that they could coexist.

I think that would be apparent to anyone paying the least bit of attention to anything in the past 15 years.

I would suggest that as soon as musk considers himself uncancelable, as he probably does, he can go ahead and be a bog standard American and actually place some value on free speech, like literally everybody you ever met, until recently. Ok maybe not literally.

I have no idea what you're talking about. Everyone I know places a high degree of value on the opinions they like not being censored, which isn't free speech at all.

And to call Twitter a "free speech platform" is ridiculous to the point of not worth explaining.

I get that you’re not inclined towards granting nuance to any opposing viewpoint. I’m aware you can poke holes in the straw man that Twitter or Musk are free speech absolutists. I remain convinced that most people value free speech in principle, though less so in our crazy tribal culture where it’s become associated with the evil conservatives. I remain convinced Musk is one of those people who values it. You can consider him to be whatever capitalist caricature you please.

[Aqua Letifer]

@Horace said in Elon Musk buys a big chunk of Twitter:

@Aqua-Letifer said in Elon Musk buys a big chunk of Twitter:

@Horace said in Elon Musk buys a big chunk of Twitter:

@Aqua-Letifer said in Elon Musk buys a big chunk of Twitter:

@Horace said in Elon Musk buys a big chunk of Twitter:

@Aqua-Letifer said in Elon Musk buys a big chunk of Twitter:

@Horace said in Elon Musk buys a big chunk of Twitter:

@Aqua-Letifer said in Elon Musk buys a big chunk of Twitter:

@Horace said in Elon Musk buys a big chunk of Twitter:

I guess he's not actually all talk when it comes to free speech.

He's suppressing conversations on Twitter about Threads if those conversations portray the new platform in a positive light. Wasn't showing up on trending topics, either, when it's the fastest growing platform basically ever.

He's allowed to protect his business interests. Zuckerberg thinks his more policed version of Twitter is in his best business interest. We'll see which one wins. But Musk isn't obligated to platform advertisements or word of mouth for the competition.

He's totally allowed to do that. And Tweet "Zuck is a cuck" to his heart's content. But neither of them give a damn about free speech. They're not in the free speech business.

You can be completely cynical about it if you want. Business will be prioritized over principle time and again I'm sure, but humans are allowed some principle to color their actions, even in business. I suspect Musk saw a business opportunity in allowing more free speech on Twitter, and I suspect he considered that a win/win, rather than a win/doesn't matter.

If you're placing your business interests above free speech, then you aren't for free speech, you're for your business interests, which may include selling the idea of free speech to the public.

Until a couple years ago, free speech coexisted peacefully with business decisions. Now to you it’s unthinkable that they could coexist.

I think that would be apparent to anyone paying the least bit of attention to anything in the past 15 years.

I would suggest that as soon as musk considers himself uncancelable, as he probably does, he can go ahead and be a bog standard American and actually place some value on free speech, like literally everybody you ever met, until recently. Ok maybe not literally.

I have no idea what you're talking about. Everyone I know places a high degree of value on the opinions they like not being censored, which isn't free speech at all.

And to call Twitter a "free speech platform" is ridiculous to the point of not worth explaining.

I get that you’re not inclined towards granting nuance to any opposing viewpoint.

Good night, Horace.

[Axtremus]

https://www.vox.com/culture/2023/7/11/23791376/keke-palmer-darius-jackson-tracee-ellis-ross-sarah-brady-jonah-hill

Twitter is dying. Policing women’s bodies is keeping it alive.

[Horace]

@Axtremus said in Elon Musk buys a big chunk of Twitter:

https://www.vox.com/culture/2023/7/11/23791376/keke-palmer-darius-jackson-tracee-ellis-ross-sarah-brady-jonah-hill

Twitter is dying. Policing women’s bodies is keeping it alive.

Wow. A gossip rag piece, and a conversation about the gossip rag piece with a -studies professor, all wrapped up in a non-sequitur about Twitter dying. Vox journalism at its finest.

[taiwan_girl]

"Elon Musk launched his long-teased artificial intelligence startup xAI on Wednesday, unveiling a team made up of engineers from the same big U.S. technology firms that he hopes to challenge in his bid to build an alternative to ChatGPT."

https://x.ai

[George K]

[Copper]

@taiwan_girl said in Elon Musk buys a big chunk of Twitter:

https://x.ai

Not very diverse.

[Klaus]

Damn, I'd love to have an email address at x.ai. Something like k@x.ai.

[Jon]

[Jon]

Musk pulled the trigger. Update Twitter app and the bird goes away

[George K]

@Jon said in Elon Musk buys a big chunk of Twitter:

Musk pulled the trigger. Update Twitter app and the bird goes away

I never use the app. Access via the web page. Is it any different/better?

[Jon]

I use the app on my iOS devices, web on Mac.

[Axtremus]

https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2023/09/musks-unpaid-bills-dozens-of-lawsuits-try-to-force-twitter-aka-x-to-pay-up/

A long list (with summaries) of various lawsuits filed against Twitter/X for not paying its bills. These lawsuits have been filed by service providers, landlords, vendors, consulting companies, law firms, etc. The article claims that Elon Musk's attitude, when it comes to paying bills, is to "let them sue."

[taiwan_girl]

...ad agency, X Social Media, on Monday sued X Corp. in Florida federal court, arguing that the rebrand has confused consumers by leading them to believe that the company’s ad services are associated with the Musk-led company.

X Corp. has filed to register “X” for use in association with social media, business data analytics, market research and advertising services, among various other areas. X Social Media, however, says it has used the mark in identical and closely-related services for over eight years.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/elon-musk-rebrand-to-x-corp-draws-trademark-lawsuit-from-social-media-ad-agency-1235606803/

[Axtremus]

https://www.theverge.com/2023/10/7/23907424/x-unlabeled-ads-posts-cant-block-report-chumbox

Advertisements now mixed in with tweets without being labeled as advertisements, and users cannot block or report them.

[George K]

X, formerly known as Twitter, will begin charging new users $1 a year to access key features including the ability to tweet and retweet

---

X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, will begin charging new users $1 a year to access key features including the ability to tweet, reply, quote, repost, like, bookmark, and create lists, according to a source familiar with the matter. This change will go live today for new users in New Zealand and the Philippines.

Roughly 20 minutes after this story published, X’s Support account confirmed the details, writing that “this new test was developed to bolster our already successful efforts to reduce spam, manipulation of our platform and bot activity, while balancing platform accessibility with the small fee amount. It is not a profit driver.”

The company published the “Not-a-Bot Terms and Conditions” today outlining its plan for a paid subscription service that gives users certain abilities on their platform, like posting content and interacting with other users. This program is different from X Premium, which offers more features like “Undo” and “Edit” for posts for $8 a month. Given the company’s tumultuous reputation under Musk, some users have voiced their hesitancy to turn over their credit card info.

X owner Elon Musk has long floated the idea of charging users $1 for the platform. During a livestreamed conversation with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu last month, Musk said “It’s the only way I can think of to combat vast armies of bots.”

Shortly after the announcement, Musk tweeted that you can “read for free, but $1/year to write.”