Tag: Musk x Twitter

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Twitter shows thousands of contract workers the door

Twitter is continuing to reduce its workforce after its wave of mass layoffs earlier this month.

The most recent cuts target contract employees, with 4,400 of its 5,500 contact employees being “eliminated.” According to Casey Newton, the founder of Platformer, the move will “have significant impact” on content moderators and the site’s core infrastructure services.

Impacted employees are in the U.S and abroad, and Twitter gave them no warning. “Contractors aren’t being notified at all, they’re just losing access to Slack and email. Managers figured it out when their workers just disappeared from the system,” Newton tweeted.

The recent cuts further highlight growing concerns about the spread of misinformation.

Twitter cut its workforce before reinstating some. The company’s former head of content moderation, Yoel Roth, tweeted that the initial layoffs impacted moderation staff the least. However, that has now changed.

Employees have launched a class action lawsuit as Twitter continues to face the threat of bankruptcy.

All of MobileSyrup’s Elon Musk x Twitter coverage can be found here.

Source: @CaseyNewton

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Mobile Syrup

Twitter is a shitshow, but are you sticking with it?

Following Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter, the social media platform has become a total mess.

This past week, Twitter got rid of and then re-added Twitter Blue subscriptions, rolled out the ‘Official’ checkmark, killed it and then brought it back. Still with us?

Musk also said bankruptcy is not out of the question for the platform, and many fake accounts with official checkmarks have surfaced.

 

Personally, I’m not sure if I’m going to stick with Twitter. There’s too much confusion and impersonation, a ton of ads, and many angry people. Are you sticking with Twitter? Or are you going to shift to Mastodon or another social media platform?

Let us know in the comments below.

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Mobile Syrup

Twitter’s new Blue subscription vanishes

Twitter’s revamped Blue subscription, which gives subscribers a blue checkmark and little else for $9.99/mo CAD, has mysteriously vanished just over a day after launch.

After a false start over the weekend, Twitter actually launched the revamped Blue service on Wednesday for iPhone users in select countries, including Canada. However, now when users tap the ‘Twitter Blue’ option in the Twitter app’s menu, they get an error saying it’s not available:

“Thank you for your interest! Twitter Blue will be available in your country in the future. Please check back later.”

The Verge reported that several users don’t even see the Blue option in the menu anymore, while those that do still see it can’t sign up. I checked Twitter on an iPhone, and while I still had the Blue menu option, I got the error saying it wasn’t available. There are also tons of tweets from users experiencing similar issues.

At the moment, it’s not clear why Twitter Blue is no longer available. It’s possible Twitter intentionally paused the service amid an influx of fake imposter accounts, or it could be related to the company’s decision to limit Blue sign-ups for new accounts (although that doesn’t explain why accounts that have been around for a while, like mine, don’t have access to Blue).

The Verge suggests that this could all be related to Twitter’s new owner Elon Musk firing half the company’s employees earlier this week. Several reports, including from current employees, warned that Twitter was in danger of breaking as issues, errors, and bugs pile up. The company’s remaining staff are also being pushed to the limit, with many working long hours and even sleeping in the office. Plus, Musk recently emailed employees demanding a return to in-office work amid warnings that Twitter could go bankrupt.

The Twitter Blue rollout itself was tumultuous. Aside from the false start, it launched after Twitter added a new grey ‘Official’ badge to some verified accounts. Within hours, Musk killed the grey badge, tweeting that the blue badge would be the “great leveler [sic].” Following the launch of Blue, Twitter was flooded with fake accounts using the paid blue badge to appear more legitimate, something that many predicted would happen. Musk also should have seen it coming, given how upset he was by all the accounts impersonating him, but instead, Musk seems convinced the paid blue badge will actually fix these problems.

And now the grey ‘Official’ badge is making a return, at least according to the Twitter Support page. Humorously, the two most recent Twitter Support tweets directly contradict each other, with a November 9th tweet saying the company isn’t adding an ‘Official’ label and a November 11th tweet saying it has now added a label. Neat.

Follow along with the latest Musk-induced Twitter turmoil here.

Via: The Verge

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Mobile Syrup

Mocking Twitter, Tumblr starts selling verification badges for $7.99

Tumblr doesn’t have a verification identification system like Twitter and Instagram, making it almost impossible to tell whether an account belongs to the person the account claims to be or if it’s a fake. Now, following in Twitter’s footsteps, Tumblr is rolling out its own “Important Blue Internet Checkmark” for your blogs.

Tumblr’s Blue Checkmark looks almost identical to Twitter’s verification badge, though it doesn’t do anything. Yep, you read that right. Tumblr’s verification badge does absolutely nothing, and is only adds element of ‘aesthetic’ to a blog of your choice.

The “Important Blue Internet Checkmark” costs $7.99 on Tumblr, and unlike Twitter, you get two checkmarks for the same price on Twitter. But they don’t do anything, nor do they offer the buyer any perks or additional features. It’s simply Tumblr taking a jab at Twitter and Elon Musk for the new CEO’s not-so-well-thought-out idea of letting people be verified on the platform for a monthly fee.

“This is not a verification status; it’s an Important Blue Internet Checkmark, which in 2022 is just as legit. Also, the Important Blue Internet Checkmark may turn into a bunch of crabs at any time 🦀,” wrote Tumblr.

Twitter rolled out its ‘Twitter Blue with Verification’ in the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the U.K. yesterday. Although the new subscription is only available on iOS and iPadOS at the moment, it allows the buyer almost instant access to a Blue verification badge, alongside perks like priority in replies, mentions and search, the ability to post longer videos and see fewer ads. Read more about Twitter Blue with Verification here.

As for Tumblr, please don’t go to the platform and pay for the ‘Important Blue Internet Checkmarks.’ Or, go ahead and pay for it. You do you; just know that it’s nothing more than a joke, and you won’t get access to any perks at Tumblr by paying the $7.99 fee.

For the latest Musk X Twitter news, click here.

Image credit: Tumblr

Source: Tumblr

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Elon Musk says ‘bankruptcy is not out of the question’ for Twitter

The saga continues.

If you thought Elon Musk adding a grey checkmark and then killing it just as quickly, before creating an even more confusing verification system, was the most outlandish Twitter news you’d read this week, think again.

Roughly two weeks after taking over Twitter, Musk has finally addressed staff with a rather bleak message. During a recent all-hands meeting, Musk said that Twitter is currently losing so much money that “bankruptcy is not out of the question,” according to The Information and Platformer.

Twitter hasn’t turned a profit since 2009, and advertisers are rapidly pulling out of the platform following Musk’s takeover. During the meeting, Musk emphasized that Twitter Blue subscriptions are integral to the platform’s future.

“The reason we’re going hardcore on subscribers is to keep Twitter alive,” said Musk during the meeting. In other Twitter-related news, Musk recently reversed the company’s “work from anywhere” policy and said that “if you can physically make it to an office and you don’t show up, resignation accepted.”

Amid the ongoing chaos, several top executives have left Twitter, including the company’s chief information security officer, the chief compliance officer and the chief privacy officer.

For the latest on Musk’s shenanigans at Twitter, follow MobileSyrup’s coverage here.

Source: The Information, Platformer

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Mobile Syrup

Elon Musk’s actions putting Twitter at risk for FTC fines, internal letter reveals

Apparently, Elon Musk “is not afraid of the FTC.”

That’s according to words allegedly spoken by Alex Spiro, who, according to an internal letter, is Twitter’s current head of legal. He’s also Musk’s close confidant.

The message, partially posted by The Verge, was shared on the company’s Slack by an attorney on the privacy team.

The message references Twitter’s settlement with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) on privacy issues, which raises concerns given Musk’s priority to monetize the platform’s users. Failing to comply will lead to billions in penalties for the company. “The FTC takes order enforcement seriously and will use every lawful means to hold recidivists responsible for further violations,” the regulatory body states in its report on the matter.

But that’s not an issue for Musk, according to Spiro’s alleged statement.

“I have heard Alex Spiro (current head of Legal) say that Elon is willing to take on a huge amount of risk in relation to this company and its users, because ‘Elon puts rockets into space, he’s not afraid of the FTC,’” the message states.

The letter states that engineers could be responsible for ensuring compliance with the FTC requirement, amounting to “personal, professional and legal risk onto engineers.”

The message comes after chief privacy officer Damien Kieran, chief information security officer Lea Kissner, and chief compliance officer Marianne Fogarty left the company.

The message is the latest issue after Musk acquired Twitter two weeks ago.

You can read more about all the drama here.

Image credit: Shutterstock

Source: The Verge 

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Mobile Syrup

New Twitter users can’t sign up for Blue subscription

Just days after rolling out updated features for Twitter Blue, the company has stopped new accounts from accessing the subscription service.

“Twitter accounts created on or after November 9, 2022 will be unable to subscribe to Twitter Blue at this time,” according to Twitter’s help page, as pointed out by Engadget.

It’s not entirely clear why new account holders can’t access the subscription, which attaches the once sought-after blue checkmark to accounts. However, it’s possible the ban on subscriptions is part of an effort to tamp down on accounts subscribing to get a blue check to help impersonate people.

Buying verification created obvious confusion as several people took the opportunity to impersonate various people and organizations.

Twitter briefly assigned a grey checkmark to accounts that served to identify which accounts were official but Musk quickly killed the system.

Twitter Blue is only available to iOS users in the U.S, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the U.K. Any Android or web subscribers who bought Blue before Musk took over the company will see their subscription cancelled if they don’t do so themselves.

The help page also lists the $9.99 price tag as an “introductory offer,” indicating the subscription cost could change down the road.

You can find more on Musk x Twitter here.

Image credit: Shutterstock 

Source: Twitter via: Engadget

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Mobile Syrup

Elon Musk ends remote work, tells employees to be in the office full time

Elon Musk’s first email to Twitter employees as ‘Chief Twit’ warns employees that remote work is a thing of the past.

According to Bloomberg News, whatever employees remain after mass layoffs will be required to be in the office for 40 hours a week. The email cites economic challenges that will impact advertising, something Twitter heavily relies on.

There’s “no way to sugarcoat the message,” the email states. The mandated 40 hours will start immediately, and any work-from-home requests will need approval from Musk.

Musk has owned Twitter for two weeks and has introduced a barrage of messy rules that even he’s not sure of.

Twitter Blue increased to $9.99 and granted users verified access. He then introduced a new grey checkmark to serve the same purpose as the original blue checkmark. The grey mark was introduced to various accounts Wednesday before Musk abruptly pulled the concept.

“The road ahead is arduous and will require intense work to succeed,” the email reads. “Over the next few days, the absolute top priority is finding and suspending any verified bots/trolls/spam,” a follow-up email states.

Image credit: Shutterstock

Source: Bloomberg News 

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Mobile Syrup

Twitter Blue with verification is now live in Canada, costs $9.99

Now that the U.S. midterm elections are over, as promised, Elon Musk and Twitter are rolling out the new Twitter Blue subscription that costs $9.99 per month in Canada and gives you access to a blue verified checkmark. Interestingly, the $9.99 price is listed as a “limited time offer.”

However, there’s one caveat. Twitter Blue is currently only available on iOS and iPadOS, and only in the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the U.K.

Up until now, Twitter used the blue checkmark to denote accounts that were noteworthy, active, and genuine and that were of interest to the general audience. Now, however, the Blue checkmark can mean two different things — either that the account was verified under the previous verification criteria or that the account is paying $9.99 per month for a Twitter Blue.

Unlike the previous version of verification, users who get their checkmark through Twitter Blue wouldn’t need to go through an active review that gauges if the user is ‘active, notable and authentic.’ Twitter Blue users will have their checkmark until their subscription ends.

Additionally, Twitter has stopped accepting verification requests under the previous criteria. The only way to get the blue checkmark moving forward will be to subscribe to Twitter Blue. Further, according to Twitter, legacy verified users get to keep their checkmark, though it can be taken away “at any time for any reason at all by Twitter, including as the result of certain types of violations of the Twitter Rules, including but not limited to our rules around spam, ban evasion, and impersonation.”

Twitter Blue users are also set to receive additional perks as part of the subscription, including priority in replies, mentions, and search, the ability to post longer videos, and see fewer ads. These perks haven’t rolled out yet, however.

Twitter Blue used to cost $6.49/month in Canada, but will now cost $9.99/month. If you’re looking to subscribe to the new Twitter Blue, make sure you cancel your old subscription to avoid getting charged twice.

You can find all of our Musk x Twitter coverage here.

Image credit: Shutterstock

Source: Twitter

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Mobile Syrup

Twitter attempts to ‘solve’ blue checkmark woes with grey check

Over the last few days, we’ve watched Twitter’s new owner, Elon Musk, witness firsthand why it’s a bad idea to let anyone pay for verification on Twitter. Now, the social media platform is rolling out a solution to the blue check problem it created — another checkmark.

This time around, it’s a grey checkmark accompanied by an ‘Official’ label, which has started to appear on some Twitter accounts.  The company’s Esther Crawford, who’s heading up the new Twitter Blue subscription that comes with a blue check, tweeted that the new grey check mark was intended to distinguish between accounts the company verified as official and accounts that paid for a blue checkmark.

“Not all previously verified accounts will get the “Official” label and the label is not available for purchase. Accounts that will receive it include government accounts, commercial companies, business partners, major media outlets, publishers and some public figures,” Crawford wrote in a follow-up tweet. Crawford also confirmed that Twitter Blue doesn’t include ID verification.

Twitter’s ‘Official’ checkmark in a tweet.

As of this morning, several accounts have suddenly gained a grey ‘Official’ checkmark, which appears underneath an account’s name and handle (@) in tweets and in the account’s profile page. It remains unclear if Twitter plans to open the new ‘Official’ badge up for applications, or if the company will arbitrarily decide which accounts qualify and which don’t.

Twitter’s ‘Official’ checkmark in an account profile.

Moreover, many accounts still have the old blue verification badge, even if they haven’t subscribed to Twitter Blue. For example, I still have my badge despite never paying for Blue — and I don’t plan to start anytime soon. As a result, many Twitter accounts are now double-badged.

While the new ‘Official’ badge is arguably a helpful change that should cut down on the potential for impersonation, there remains a distinct lack of transparency around the system (which was a notable issue with the old verification system). Additionally, the old blue checkmark is more visible than the grey check — coupled with the history behind the blue checkmark, the new double-check system may increase confusion over which accounts are authentic or not.

At the moment, the blue checkmark really only means one of two things: that account paid for Twitter like a loser, or that account was previously verified and hasn’t lost the blue check yet. Most accounts seem to be in the latter camp for now since Twitter delayed the change to the blue checkmark. Now that the U.S. midterm elections are over, that will begin to change.

You can find more about the ongoing Musk x Twitter drama here.

Source: @esthercrawford Via: The Verge