Elon Musk's poll, asking “Should I step down as head of Twitter?”, ends with 57.5% voting yes, after Musk said Twitter polls will decide “major policy changes”

After a new policy prompted backlash, Twitter CEO Elon Musk said future policies would be determined by polls

Washington Post 2022-12-19

Context & Ripple Effects

Twitter had already used a user poll to reinstate Donald Trump’s account, despite Musk’s earlier plan for a content-moderation council. The new pledge elevates polls from a one-off decision tool to a stated mechanism for major policy.

That governance model was immediately tested by a poll on restrictions for accounts promoting rival platforms, tying the leadership vote to the backlash over a new policy.

First-order effects

Musk faces a public vote against his continuing as Twitter’s head, while Twitter’s major-policy decisions are now framed as contingent on poll outcomes.
Twitter’s trust-and-safety team must operate under a decision process in which users, rather than the previously proposed moderation council, are presented as the deciding constituency.

Second-order effects

The proposed restriction of policy voting to Blue subscribers would make paid status a gatekeeper for governance influence, changing the value proposition of the subscription.
Poll-based governance becomes vulnerable to vote integrity: later research found large volumes of poll votes could be bought cheaply, weakening the credibility of policy outcomes if participation remains open.

Third-order effects

If Twitter continues to use polls for consequential decisions, platform governance shifts from standing rules and expert review toward an engagement-driven voting system whose legitimacy depends on eligibility and anti-manipulation controls.
The sequence points to a broader tension for social platforms: public participation can make decisions visibly responsive, but it also makes moderation and policy enforcement harder to separate from coordinated audience campaigns.

The trend: Twitter is moving toward crowd-mediated platform governance, with subscription access and vote integrity becoming central to who has influence over policy.

Discussion

@questauthority@mastodon.social Mike Dunford on mastodon
Elon is running a Twitter poll to see if he should stay or go. It's received nearly 6 million votes.
@dangillmor@mastodon.social Dan Gillmor on mastodon
If Musk “steps down” as Twitter CEO, per his latest bogus “poll”, some things to remember: 1) He'll still be in control.
@elonmusk Elon Musk on x
Going forward, there will be a vote for major policy changes. My apologies. Won't happen again.
@elonmusk Elon Musk on x
Should I step down as head of Twitter? I will abide by the results of this poll.
@elonmusk Elon Musk on x
@WholeMarsBlog The question is not finding a CEO, the question is finding a CEO who can keep Twitter alive
@elonmusk Elon Musk on x
Those who want power are the ones who least deserve it
@myspacetom Tom Anderson on x
@elonmusk Depends who you get to run it ! 🤔
@elonmusk Elon Musk on x
@lexfridman You must like pain a lot. One catch: you have to invest your life savings in Twitter and it has been in the fast lane to bankruptcy since May. Still want the job?
@lexfridman Lex Fridman on x
Fun suggestion @elonmusk: Let me run Twitter for a bit. No salary. All in. Focus on great engineering and increasing the amount of love in the world. Just offering my help in the unlikely case it's useful.
@garyblack00 Gary Black on x
I have to believe $TSLA outside directors are putting pressure on Elon to give up his role as $TWTR CEO. It's hard to ignore the numbers since TWTR deal closed on 10/27 ( $TSLA -33% vs NDX unch'd) while 10yrTY have DROPPED from 3.92% to 3.48% on Friday. https://twitter.com/...
@elonmusk Elon Musk on x
As the saying goes, be careful what you wish, as you might get it
@elonmusk Elon Musk on x
@WallStreetSilv No one wants the job who can actually keep Twitter alive. There is no successor.
@snowden Edward Snowden on x
I take payment in Bitcoin. https://twitter.com/...
@ryanair @ryanair on x
Let that sink out https://twitter.com/... https://twitter.com/...
@malwaretechblog Marcus Hutchins on x
In his quest for the greatest self own in history, Elon Musk has now been officially voted out of the company he paid $44bn for, by his own Twitter followers. https://twitter.com/...
@briannawu Brianna Wu on x
If you're asking my opinion, the Tesla board probably had a “come to Jesus” meeting with Musk. The stock is plummeting. If something doesn't change, he'll lose both companies. This is a way for him to quit and blame it on someone else. Calacanis is my bet for new CEO.
@danprimack Dan Primack on x
Reminder that Twitter was nowhere near bankruptcy in May. Q2 loss of $244 million. Around $2.7 billion of cash in the bank. Obviously not a healthy biz. But not close to a bankrupt one. https://s22.q4cdn.com/...
@sarthakgh Sar Haribhakti on x
Sheryl Sandberg is the turnaround CEO Twitter needs
@danprimack Dan Primack on x
Sequoia Capital is declining comment. Twitter is one of the largest, if not the largest, investments in its history. Like w/ FTX, there's no board of directors. Which Sequoia and others knew going in, or at least didn't require as condition of investing Fallen so far so fast.
@snoopdogg Snoop Dogg on x
Should I run Twitter ?
@kevinakwok Kevin Kwok on x
The risks of mass exodus from Twitter are overweighted. As will the news cycle in other direction when clear there wasn't exodus. The real thing is everyone is realizing they need to find ways to diversify and backup their social capital being purely tied up in twitter
@jamesrbuk James Ball on x
The question is actually finding a CEO who could possibly keep it alive with Musk as an owner. Short of a binding affidavit from Musk that he'd be a hands-off shareholder (which would never happen, probably rightly), who would possibly take this on? https://twitter.com/...
@yourragez @yourragez on x
I just realized Elon used my Cybertruck pre order money to buy this bitch ass app 🤨
@dineshdsouza Dinesh D'Souza on x
I hope @elonmusk understands that the free speech battle he is waging at Twitter is no less important than any of his other admirable ventures. Whether he's running Twitter as CEO or not, he needs to put a team in place that will continue to lead this fight for freedom
@fadeaccompli @fadeaccompli on x
Do you all remember that great article from years ago about how some unhinged libertarian dude took over Sears, and drove the entire venerable company of high reputation straight into the ground with his ideology-produced bad management? Came to mind recently for some reason.
@bborrman Brandon on x
1. His plan was always to appoint a new CEO 2. If he doesn't do this soon TSLA shareholders will revolt 3. Just because he doesn't have the title doesn't mean he not in control https://twitter.com/...
@wongmjane Jane Mastodon Wong on x
Final results: Yes: 10,063,044 votes (57.4%) No: 7,439,347 votes (42.5%) Total votes count: 17,502,391 https://twitter.com/...
@paulwallbank Paul Wallbank on x
The people have spoken, and they're enjoying the popcorn. https://twitter.com/...
@henrymance Henry Mance on x
Days between Liz Truss becoming prime minister and Tory backbenchers telling her to resign: 45 Days between Elon Musk taking over Twitter and Twitter poll telling him to resign: 53
@leadlagreport @leadlagreport on x
Unpopular opinion: Elon Musk put out the social media link deletion policy around Facebook and Instagram purposely, to turn Twitter against him on the poll that followed, to give him an out, and he already has a CEO successor in place.
@realsaavedra Ryan Saavedra on x
.@ElonMusk later today: https://twitter.com/... https://twitter.com/...
@jasonschreier Jason Schreier on x
If you're in line, STAY IN LINE https://twitter.com/...
@ashleevance Ashlee Vance on x
Every CEO should try this. Let's get weird https://twitter.com/...
@alkapdc Alex Kaplan on x
There are multiple 4chan /pol/ threads & QAnon figures urging other users & followers to vote in this poll. https://twitter.com/... https://twitter.com/...
@thequartering @thequartering on x
The most important day in the history of the culture war comes tomorrow. I will be up early doing everything I can but if you are a content creator, a twitter user, a normie, it doesn't matter. We MUST mobilize to “vote no” to tell @elonmusk NOT to step down. This is EVERYTHING
@lisamarieboothe Lisa Boothe on x
Are we going to lose another election this soon? https://twitter.com/...
@zeynep Zeynep Tufekci on x
This is what that vote is about. Seems like an attempt at saving face before being forced to jump ship, anyway, by financial realities. (His creditors are certainly taking a huge haircut, too). https://twitter.com/...
@awawat_trades @awawat_trades on x
Can't believe Elon did a David Cameron here. https://twitter.com/...
@howardlindzon Stocktwits Lindzon on x
Bring in the old Pepsi guy who took over for Steve Jobs https://twitter.com/...
@moorehn Heidi N. Moore on x
Elno literally said in court IN NOVEMBER that he will step down so he can focus on T S L A https://www.reuters.com/...
@catturd2 @catturd2 on x
The reason Twitter is the talk of the world right now - it's because @elonmusk is running it. If he hands it off to someone else - it'll instantly lose all its magic.
@pt Parker on x
This is why Twitter needs holacracy. https://twitter.com/...
@lib_crusher @lib_crusher on x
This is the funniest night on Twitter since the Queen died https://twitter.com/...
@joshtpm Josh Marshall on x
Important to remember that while Twitter was only marginally profitable it wasn't on any glide path to bankruptcy. The breakdowns in the ad business *began* when Musk entered the story. He's the problem. Though quite possible it's broken beyond repair now. https://twitter.com/...
@danprimack Dan Primack on x
@DavidSacks A large percentage of them have boards that handle this role.
@loudmouthjulia Julia Alexander on x
Pre-planned statement incoming... https://twitter.com/...
@erratarob @erratarob on x
Smart people with vision have no use for such lazy platitudes. https://twitter.com/...
@alexeheath Alex Heath on x
Reminder that Musk has repeatedly said both publicly and privately since before buying Twitter that he intends to find another CEO https://twitter.com/...
@robschneider Rob Schneider on x
Yes, @elonmusk But for a society to remain vibrant, creative and bold it needs to have its ideas constantly challenged by discourse and debate. Let the best ideas win out! Until you bought Twitter it was a toilet of censorious illiberal monotony! Please stay in charge! https://tw…
@martinpakula Martin Pakula on x
Liz Truss lasted longer https://twitter.com/...
@briannawu Brianna Wu on x
2/ Jared Kushner is a good guess, since he's watching the World Cup with him and the guy dreams of running media empires. But Javanka are trying to LOWER their profile, which is why they said they'd have nothing to do with Trump 2024. CEO of Twitter is the opposite of that.
@shaig Shai Goldman on x
Elon making Zuck look really good rn
@bfriedmandc Brandon Friedman on x
This poll has 11 hours left. NASDAQ trading opens in 14 hours. Tesla hit a two-year low of $150 on Friday. https://twitter.com/... https://twitter.com/...
@phil_lewis_ Philip Lewis on x
Final results: Voters call on Elon Musk to step down as head of Twitter https://twitter.com/...
@timcast Tim Pool on x
I nominate @IanCrossland for twitter CEO https://twitter.com/...
@deitaone @deitaone on x
TESLA SHARES MOVE HIGHER SLIGHTLY AFTER ELON MUSK'S TWITTER POLL RESULTS SHOW MAJORITY WANT HIM TO STEP DOWN AS TWITTER CEO, LAST UP 5% PREMARKET $TSLA
@howardlindzon Stocktwits Lindzon on x
Musk looking to squeeze the people short $TSLA on a Sunday eve.
@howardlindzon Stocktwits Lindzon on x
Bots and Russians deciding fate of Twitter. A perfect ending to 2022. https://twitter.com/...
@jcoviedo6 JC Oviedo on x
Musk was fired by his investors in Qatar today, The “poll” is rigged by Elon's bots to give him an excuse to “step down” as Twitter CEO. Musk things him stepping down as Twitter CEO will help stabilize Tesla's share price. https://twitter.com/...
@riptari @riptari on x
Jared Kushner was with him around the time he tweeted this poll..... https://twitter.com/...
@shaun_vids Shaun on x
oh my god this is fucking embarrassing https://twitter.com/...
@lukewearechange Luke Rudkowski on x
Having someone address and explain policies while also fixing them in real time is extremely rare and important on social media. I might not agree with all the decisions, but this! holy cow I wish all the other companies did this as well. https://twitter.com/...
@quinnae_moon Katherine Cross on x
The AP has called the race for the “Yes” campaign in Elon Musk's poll.
@wallstreetsilv Wall Street Silver on x
@elonmusk Yep, he already has the new CEO picked out. Elon will retire to being Chairman of the Board and Tweeter.
@adegrandpre @adegrandpre on x
'The poll was set to expire Monday morning before the stock market opens. The value of Tesla's stock — the source of much of Musk's net worth — has recently plunged. Investors have said Musk stepping aside from Twitter would improve Tesla's outlook.' https://www.washingtonpost.co…
@pwnallthethings @pwnallthethings on x
Fast lane to bankruptcy you say https://twitter.com/...
@divestech Dan Ives on x
Voters call for Elon Musk to step down as head of Twitter, 57.5%-42.5%...would be a big relief for Tesla investors...
@wholemarsblog @wholemarsblog on x
I've been telling @elonmusk to hire someone as Twitter CEO from the beginning That way when things go wrong you can blame that person, but you still retain ultimate control as the owner. And yes I am available to do the job https://twitter.com/...
@hasanthehun @hasanthehun on x
hes gonna put MBS in charge of twitter https://twitter.com/...
@ivanthek @ivanthek on x
M I S S I O N A C C O M P L I S H E D https://twitter.com/...
@eastdakota @eastdakota on x
Elon's #Failcon talk will be epic.
@goldman Jason Goldman on x
This is 100% true and I believe he wants to lose the vote for these reasons. It will also not make Twitter have better governance. BUT! It will still be extremely funny. https://twitter.com/...
@pk_kenzie Kenzie on x
This is how Elon makes twitter decisions https://twitter.com/...
@goldman Jason Goldman on x
On the plus side, the guy does love to roast calacanis https://twitter.com/...
@briannawu Brianna Wu on x
Put up a poll asking if people want you to resign. https://twitter.com/...
@zeynep Zeynep Tufekci on x
Twitter a publisher??? Section 230. EU laws. Digital Markets Act. Lawyers leafing through yacht brochures, dreaming. Seized oligarch yachts perhaps within reach? Even funnier: many traditional publishers allow this, so making lawyers dream of 💰💰💰based on a false comparison. https…
@liv_agar Liv on x
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA https://twitter.com/...
@nicoleperlroth Nicole Perlroth on x
I just stumbled into a Twitter Spaces of Tesla investors that appear to be in a cult. Many mourned the idea of Elon stepping down. Most said David Sacks would be their #1 choice as CEO replacement. I feel the urgent need to take a hot shower with deep exfoliation.
@notabigjerk Lauren on x
@elonmusk Regardless of the outcome, this is the most insecure tweet any of us will ever live to see
@otto_english Otto English on x
Musk goes to Qatar. Musk meets Twitter investors. Musk tweets out face saving poll.
Twitter Help Center Twitter Help Center on x
Promotion of alternative social platforms policy
TechCrunch TechCrunch on mastodon
Twitter bans posting of handles and links to Facebook, Instagram, Mastodon and more (Updated)
Firstpost Tech Mehul Reuben Das on mastodon
Twitter stops users from sharing links to Instagram, Mastodon, deletes policy after facing backlash from users
@louisgray@mastodon.social @louisgray@mastodon.social on mastodon
Friend of mine, hanging on the toxic dregs of MuskStream, saying he can't walk away from the network …
@film_girl@mastodon.social Christina Warren on mastodon
I dunno man, I'm just so disappointed to see my home get burned down this way.
@donieosullivan@mastodon.ie Donie O'Sullivan on mastodon
Seems like a big deal that @Techmeme@techhub.social is now featuring Mastodons prominently.
@sandofsky@mastodon.social Ben Sandofsky on mastodon
Mastodon has cracked the top ten social networking apps in the App Store. For context, Signal is at 15.
@twittersupport @twittersupport on x
[Deleted Tweet] Specifically, we will remove accounts created solely for the purpose of promoting other social platforms and content that contains links or usernames for the following platforms: Facebook, Instagram, Mastodon, Truth Social, Tribel, Nostr and Post.
@elonmusk Elon Musk on x
@TrungTPhan @stillgray Casually sharing occasional links is fine, but no more relentless advertising of competitors for free, which is absurd in the extreme
@facebook @facebook on x
🫣
@juddlegum Judd Legum on x
IMPORTANT: @elonmusk's new policy preventing linking to competitors is in DIRECT VIOLATION of European Union rules. Penalty can be a fine of up to 20% of Twitter's annual revenue https://commission.europa.eu/ ... https://twitter.com/...
@paulg Paul Graham on x
This is the last straw. I give up. You can find a link to my new Mastodon profile on my site. https://help.twitter.com/...
@ericfreyss @ericfreyss on x
Any attempt to remove my tweets that link to my other social media accounts, not violating any law, would actually make #twitter an editorial media, and no longer a social media platform, with civil and criminal liability for *any* illegal content therein. https://help.twitter.co…
@jack @jack on x
@TwitterSupport Why?
@elonmusk Elon Musk on x
@TheQuartering @levie Policy will be adjusted to suspending accounts only when that account's *primary* purpose is promotion of competitors, which essentially falls under the no spam rule
@jack @jack on x
@fiatjaf doesn't make sense
@twittersupport @twittersupport on x
More information on this policy, as well as how we will take action on violations, can be found here: https://help.twitter.com/...
@mayemusk Maye Musk on x
This makes absolute sense. When I give a talk for a corporation, I don't promote other corporations. If I did, I would be fired on the spot and never booked again. Is that hard to understand? https://twitter.com/...
@joinmastodon @joinmastodon on mastodon
As a company from eastern Germany, we know that building a wall to try and keep people from leaving isn't a good idea. https://twitter.com/...
@carnage4life Dare Obasanjo on x
Holy 💩 https://twitter.com/...
@elonmusk Elon Musk on x
@stillgray Exactly. Twitter should be easy to use, but no more relentless free advertising of competitors. No traditional publisher allows this and neither will Twitter.
@goldman Jason Goldman on x
Some context: there's a complicated history of dominant social platforms trying to block emergent ones. But this is typically a fight at the API level. For example Facebook blocked Twitter from “find friends” functionality in 2010. Twitter reciprocated against Instagram in 2012. …
@twittersupport @twittersupport on x
We still allow cross-posting content from any social media platform. Posting links or usernames to social media platforms not listed above are also not in violation of this policy.
@levie Aaron Levie on x
This is just sad 👇 https://twitter.com/...
@_inremote @_inremote on x
You are not allowed to take a screenshot of Twitter's new policy lmao https://twitter.com/...
@macrocephalopod @macrocephalopod on x
lol. lmao. https://twitter.com/...
@bborrman Brandon on x
This might be the single saddest policy I've ever seen. https://twitter.com/...
@levie Aaron Levie on x
Twitter seems to be creating new problems for itself at a faster rate than fixing old ones. Not an ideal flywheel.
@packym Packy McCormick on x
The point of making rules so broad, that so many people were already breaking at the time the rule was put in place, is that you can then arbitrarily ban pretty much anyone for breaking those rules. https://twitter.com/...
@kristyt Kristy Tillman on x
My favorite “how it started” vs “how its going” https://twitter.com/...
@howard Howard Lerman on x
Holy shit looks like @paulg (Formerly Paul Graham) was banned. This is going to end badly.
@chronotope Aram Zucker-Scharff on x
They said they allow you to pay to promote links to other platform, but considering how it was immediately reject from promotion it seems that automation is being used to make that line a... uhhh... total lie. Turns out you *can't* use paid ads or promotion for those platforms. h…
@molly0xfff Molly White on x
no URLs. no usernames without the URL. no bypassing restrictions on URLs (like writing example dot com). no posting images with usernames in them. free speech! https://t.co/S3ZnwxkvSQ
@twittersupport @twittersupport on x
Twitter will remove accounts made to “promote other social platforms” and content that has links or usernames to Facebook, Mastodon, and others
@briankrebs @briankrebs on x
LOL. The CEO of Twitter has gone full despot/dictator mode. You can now get banned for mentioning your Insta, FB, Mastodon, Post, or other. You know a country is in full freedom mode when it starts shutting its borders for people trying to leave! https://twitter.com/...
@stillgray Ian Miles Cheong on x
You are allowed to crosspost to other platforms. You just can't create or turn your account into a free advertising unit for one of the listed competing platforms.
@elonmusk Elon Musk on x
@jasondebolt Exactly
@joshconstine @joshconstine on x
you gotta admit this all makes Zuckerberg's steady hands on 18 years of unilateral power look commendable.
@elonmusk Elon Musk on x
@BillyM2k Paul's account will be restored shortly
@jjvincent James Vincent on x
this is just insane from twitter — you literally can't now tweet “follow me @username” on Instagram https://help.twitter.com/... https://twitter.com/...
@alexstamos Alex Stamos on x
The EU has been looking to establish the new DSA and DMA as weapons against US tech and Twitter is making it too easy. You can follow me at https://cybervillains.com/@alex when I'm suspended for some post-hoc rationalization.
@balajis Balaji on x
This is a bad policy and should be reversed. The right way to compete is to build a better product, not to restrict the use of your product. https://twitter.com/...
@alexstamos Alex Stamos on x
This is the clearest declaration of weakness I've ever seen from a major US tech platform, and a transparent declaration of anticompetitive intent that a GC would set themselves on fire to prevent (if somebody had that job at Twitter). https://twitter.com/...
@rsg Bobby Goodlatte on x
I remain supportive of Elon's efforts at Twitter, but this is an incredibly bad decision https://twitter.com/...
@stevanzetti @stevanzetti on x
https://twitter.com/... https://twitter.com/...
@socialistdogmom Molly Conger on x
ok so you can't ask people to follow you on instagram without even linking to it but you CAN cross post your instagram pics directly to twitter, thereby linking directly to that account, this makes perfect sense https://twitter.com/... https://twitter.com/...
@tumblr @tumblr on x
Oh. https://twitter.com/...
@auersusan @auersusan on x
I just checked with the other hip social media platform, called the European Union, and looks like their TOS override Twitter's TOS. 😈 https://commission.europa.eu/ ... https://twitter.com/... https://twitter.com/...
@gergelyorosz Gergely Orosz on x
Paul Graham - founder of Y Combinator, and someone who was supportive of Elon Musk since the Twitter takeover - announced he's taking a break from Twitter, and suggested people can find his Mastodon account on his website. He was banned a few hours later. I cannot believe it... h…
@benedictevans Benedict Evans on x
There's plenty of scope for analytical comment on this. But it is also just pathetic. I can't link an IG post here? How absolutely pathetic. https://twitter.com/...
@satisfactoryaf @satisfactoryaf on x
We recognize that many of our players play other video games. However, we will no longer allow Satisfactory players to play any other video games such as Minecraft, Goat Simulator, God of War, Runescape, Final Fantasy. Stray is okay though. Cute cat. Also the mouse game is okay. …
@liv_agar Liv on x
WHAT???? https://twitter.com/...
@richardhanania Richard Hanania on x
Understandable. Try hanging out at KFC and trying to talk people into going to Popeye's. NYT wouldn't let a journalist use her articles to direct people towards her Substack. Maybe it feels sudden and arbitrary, but again, welcome to the world non-leftists have always lived in. h…
@paulg Paul Graham on x
@skyler_fs It's not impossible. Elon is a smart guy. He doesn't currently understand how different social media is from cars and rockets, but he could well figure it out before it's too late.
@carnage4life @carnage4life on x
Elon is doing a better job of convincing me to check out Mastodon than all the people with weird display names asking when I'm going to start tooting.
@pythianism Vance Spencer on x
im old enough to remember when jack cut off twitter api access to a generation of startups and killed them https://twitter.com/...
@taylorlorenz Taylor Lorenz on x
This is so subjective it's meaningless https://twitter.com/...
@erikvoorhees Erik Voorhees on x
Value of demonstrated long term commitment to free speech > marginal short term loss of users Especially when the primary impetus for user loss is the lack of commitment to free speech... https://twitter.com/...
@rsg Bobby Goodlatte on x
We had debates about this back in the day at Facebook. But only about API-level access, never about individual users choosing to post links to other networks It was always just assumed that it was the right thing to do to allow posting any link so long as it wasn't against TOS
@benedictevans Benedict Evans on x
JFC https://twitter.com/...
@moorehn Heidi N. Moore on x
Paul didn't even post a link. He just said he has a presence elsewhere. What this actually shows is that Elno is using the vague policy to just ban anyone he doesn't like https://twitter.com/...
@timsweeneyepic Possibly Tim Sweeney on x
@tomwarren That's insane.
@juddlegum Judd Legum on x
Musk continues to play Calvinball. Now he says “casually” sharing links to competitors is fine but “relentless advertising of competitors” will result in being banned. (None of this is actually specified in the policy announced today.) https://twitter.com/...
@razlol @razlol on x
EU regulations protecting American consumers once again ty https://twitter.com/...
@ajreid Alastair Reid on x
The chief scientific advisor for France's military police 👇 https://twitter.com/...
@jarvis Jarvis Johnson on x
do not always be plugging https://twitter.com/...
@shaun_vids Shaun on x
musk really went from “i'm a free speech absolutist, i just want to bring twitter's speech policies in line with what is legal” to “i will ban you for mentioning your facebook account” in a few months lol
@nextspaceflight Michael Baylor on x
This policy change buried during the World Cup Final sets a very dangerous precedent. I fear it may expand in scope with time. @elonmusk support an open internet and reverse this change. People should post their content natively on Twitter because it is better, not by force. http…
@stevanzetti @stevanzetti on x
Eyyy, I void my section 230 protections by identifying as a publisher! Oh!!! https://twitter.com/... https://twitter.com/...
@bnwkr Ben on x
@TwitterSafety Considering it's illegal... Go for it! https://twitter.com/...
@janalbrecht Jan Philipp Albrecht on x
So #twitter is a publisher. So that is it, let's apply all laws accordingly. Thanks. https://twitter.com/...
@johnhultquist John Hultquist🌻 on x
Things are really speeding up here at the end!!!
@drewtoothpaste @drewtoothpaste on x
tumblr banned me for posting external links from my tumblr to other websites, so you might wanna skip chiming in on this one https://twitter.com/...
@pt Parker on x
You're not breaking up with me, I'm breaking up with YOU! https://twitter.com/...
@iamdcinvestor @iamdcinvestor on x
Twitter is useful partially because the “nexus metaverse” presence for a lot of people start restricting how it can be used, and it starts to become a lot less useful what's next, Twitter launches a video service and bans YouTube links? short-sighted & weak looking @elonmusk http…
@adamsinger Adam Singer on x
Facebook and Instagram do all they can to stop any outbound linking and organic traffic referrals and no one bats an eye. Twitter does it and everyone loses their minds (rounding error of traffic in comparison, btw). I for one think you should be able to link wherever you want...
@flodebarre Flo Débarre on x
Don't let football distract you from this insane new Twitter policy https://help.twitter.com/... https://twitter.com/...
@timsweeneyepic Possibly Tim Sweeney on x
The essential reason to support free speech is: any organization we give the power to decide what we're allowed to say will quickly abuse that power to their own political, economic, or petty ends. https://twitter.com/...
@pwnallthethings @pwnallthethings on x
Note that it's not *just* asking your followers to move platform, or where to find you elsewhere, it's also linking to that content *in general*, other than dual-posting https://twitter.com/...
@janalbrecht Jan Philipp Albrecht on x
Now, where is the European Commission when it's needed to uphold EU law @vonderleyen, @vestager, @ThierryBreton? The world is watching you, @EU_Commission! This is the moment, Europe has to take leadership on #twitter. https://twitter.com/...
@mikeisaac Rat King on x
there is some precedent to this twitter and instagram wouldn't let folks bootstrap off each others friend graphs for a long time (maybe still?) and Facebook would chop API access to any startup they felt a growing threat building off the graph (it wasn't this explicit, though) ht…
@punk6529 @punk6529 on x
You are supposed to degrade reach without saying anything. Anyway, open metaverse or it is going to be 100x worse than this https://twitter.com/...
@nicoleperlroth Nicole Perlroth on x
How it started. How it's going. https://twitter.com/...
@tcarmody Tim Carmody on x
Mastodon instance owners should file complaints with the FTC, here: https://www.ftc.gov/... (I assume Meta etc are already on it) https://twitter.com/...
@mims Christopher Mims on x
incredible https://twitter.com/...
@cdixon @cdixon on x
Can't be evil > don't be evil
@carnage4life @carnage4life on x
The real problem with Twitter right now is that you can't opt-out of Elon content even with muting him or his name. It was fun for a bit but it's just tedious now.
@briankrebs @briankrebs on x
Also LOL: Twitter complained that I was trying to spread malware blah blah by changing my profile background like I just did. But it still let me. I can't decide which is funnier: Wrongfully accusing me of willfully spreading malware, or accusing me & letting me do it anyway.
@ryanqnorth Ryan North on x
In the 90s, AOL tried to build their own walled garden, where everything worth seeing was inside AOL and the rest of the internet was as an afterthought, something less than the wonders only AOL itself offered. Even then, you could still email non-AOL addresses. Anyway, it failed
@twschaller Thomas W Schaller on x
We are now forbidden on Twitter to post links or cross references to all other social media sites as well as site aggregate links such linktree, etc. For those of us who are working artists who need these links for our businesses to survive, this decision seems draconian. https:/…
@osinteng @osinteng on x
This change in policy is very concerning and breaks a core use of Twitter. I had previously used Twitter as a content aggregator, to keep up with creators on other platforms YouTube, etc. If @elonmusk really wants creators to stay then making Twitter a walled garden won't work ht…
@realgeorgehotz @realgeorgehotz on x
You can't run a country or company by banning discussion of leaving, you have to just provide a better service. This will backfire.
@dril Wint on x
https://linktr.ee/... dont you dare click on this illegal list of web sites that are better than twitter
@davidcorndc David Corn on x
So now we're a “publisher,” @elonmusk? If so, that comes with certain obligations and legal liabilities. https://twitter.com/...
@graceonfootball @graceonfootball on x
We are on red alert. Musk could commit an all time piece of cultural vandalism. https://twitter.com/...
@dannywallace Danny Wallace on x
Looks like this is becoming untenable. So every Sunday I'll meet you by the bins outside Primark Loughborough at 5pm and fill you in on my thoughts, unless the clown bans Primark or Loughborough or 5pm. https://twitter.com/...
@yashar @yashar on x
You are not banned, however, from promoting your TikTok account. https://twitter.com/...
@gfodor @gfodor on x
Breaking posting break to say this is fundamentally anti-free speech in a way the other changes have not been. I strongly oppose it. https://twitter.com/...
@vaushv @vaushv on x
Absolutely incredible that seeing constant promotion of mastodon (promotion which, let's be real, doesn't hurt Twitter at all) made Elon so upset that he broke down and asked his engineers to give us one of the clearest case studies of anti-competitive behavior in recent history …
@mikeisaac Rat King on x
to be clear this is miles beyond what others have done, just not without some similar behavior in the past https://twitter.com/...
@markharrisnyc Mark Harris on x
The word “occasional” is all the evidence you need that this “policy” is unvetted sulky harrumphing that a freaked-out dilettante is making up as he goes along. What's “occasional”? And who's going to monitor it—his vast new skeleton staff? https://twitter.com/...
@leftatlondon @leftatlondon on x
elon tweets shit like “users are tweeting 30% more today than before I became ceo 😎” & every time its just ppl tweeting “i hope elons spine gets hit dead on with a sledgehammer so hard he passes out. I hope ppl think he's dead but dont bother to check so he gets cremated alive.”
@harddrivemag @harddrivemag on x
twitter is already by far the worst social media site for driving traffic outside of i guess Instagram because that doesn't have links. we have almost 4x as many followers here than on Facebook and somehow FB gets us almost as much traffic as Twitter. Facebook! the old ppl site!
@heyjenbartel Jen Bartel on x
This place is so intensely hostile toward artists 🥲 https://twitter.com/...
@sfiegerman Seth Fiegerman on x
Not to state the obvious but: Elon Musk owns Twitter, he is currently its only board director and he gets to pick the next CEO (if there is one) and tell that person what to do. CEO title or not, it's still Elon in charge, as much as he wants to be.
@asharangappa_ @asharangappa_ on x
Twitter becoming the North Korea of social media https://twitter.com/...
@sproutwiki @sproutwiki on x
Every single artist, content creator, small business, etc has a link in their bio to help them live. This is so incredibly unfair, it's going to cause so many people who depend on twitter for survival to be banned. Just cruel. https://twitter.com/...
@rsg Bobby Goodlatte on x
Even on the API level, we wound up being the far more permissive platform Ironic considering how FB was accused of being a “walled garden” compared to “open” Twitter Tweets were allowed to automatically post to FB if enabled by the user. The reverse was never allowed by Twitter
@visakanv @visakanv on x
@elonmusk what about competing social media platforms? https://twitter.com/...
@tomabacon Tom Bacon on x
@TwitterSupport There's always a tweet, isn't there? @elonmusk https://twitter.com/...
@charlottebhc Charlotte Bayes on x
This is absolutely unhinged? https://twitter.com/... https://twitter.com/...
@szhang_ds Sophie Zhang on x
Note the commonality: All of the social media now banned on Twitter is Western. Chairman Musk is specifically avoiding banning e.g. PRC social media (TikTok, Weibo, WeChat, etc.) 伟大光荣正确的埃隆马斯克主席 strikes again! https://twitter.com/...
@erratarob @erratarob on x
My tweets get cross-posted to Mastodon. My tweets are frequently quoted in the press when I respond to cybersec events. I suggest you quote the Mastodon versions rather than the Twitter versions. Give it a try.
@alexeheath Alex Heath on x
Life comes at you fast. Or in this case, just over a month https://twitter.com/... https://twitter.com/...
@alexzac Alex Zaccaria on x
Linktree's audience is at the heart of what we build every day and we will continue to fight for what is best for our 30 million plus users.
@larakate @larakate on x
Great marketing moment for @Linktree_ which genuinely exists to help creators centralize and create a hub for their content. Good to see who cares about creators ability to succeed and who doesn't.
@benhouston3d @benhouston3d on x
@Scobleizer One great thing is TechMeme now features M posts. You can find a lot of great people to follow there. https://techmeme.com/
@bobby @bobby on x
if twitter gets shut down you can find me standing on a crate outside the times square m&m's store saying things that are mildly humorous but not necessarily jokes, like They Should Make A Jacket For Your Legs. https://twitter.com/...
@ldrogen Leigh Drogen on x
Best legislative solution to social media mess is still to require all social graphs to be open and portable to other platforms Very easy bill for congress to write, not very cumbersome for small platforms to implement
@litcapital @litcapital on x
Waiting for the Musk meat riders to explain this one https://twitter.com/...
@danprimack Dan Primack on x
The pathetic smell of fear... and a very easy way for Twitter to now justify banning accounts for old tweets. Pretty sure most active users have linked to other social at some point. https://twitter.com/...
@nicoleperlroth Nicole Perlroth on x
No joke. Fun fact! European countries (notably Switzerland, Finland, Germany, Austria) issue speeding fines as a % of annual income... believe the record was 1M CHF (~$1.2M). https://twitter.com/...
@pewilliams_ @pewilliams_ on x
Meta v. Twitter lawsuit seems inevitable if this holds.
@jack @jack on x
Current coverage: https://nostr.watch/
@jules_su Jules Suzdaltsev on x
lmao you literally can't say “follow me @username on Instagram” in their own example lol what a joke ahahaha https://twitter.com/... https://twitter.com/...
@scottadamssays Scott Adams on x
I love the transparency and the rapid testing and adjusting. Watching it play out is like getting a business degree. https://twitter.com/...
@219_eth @219_eth on x
woof. linktree ban this is not well thought out, lol https://twitter.com/...
@elivalley @elivalley on x
Using the word “mastodon” is now more likely to get you banned than calling for the extermination of entire communities https://twitter.com/...
@andrewperpetua Andrew Perpetua on x
This is @elonmusk Publicly admitting that he is having a total meltdown over his catastrophic failure at running twitter and the absolute bloodbath he is suffering from users fleeing as fast as possible. This is what censorship actually looks like, in case you were curious. https…
@brendankeefe Brendan Keefe on x
I dipped back into Twitter only to report this to the @FTC as a possible anti-trust violation. I have also filed a formal notification to antitrust@ftc.gov. Otherwise, I hope to be back on Twitter in January. I'm suspending myself for a few weeks. https://help.twitter.com/... htt…
@tyleroakley Tyler Oakley on x
what is casual what is occasional like?? he's making it up as he goes https://twitter.com/...
@donmoyn Don Moynihan on x
Exactly. Twitter is for all intents and legal purposes a publisher, responsible for the content on its platform. Why are people making a big deal about this? https://twitter.com/...
@dougsaunders Doug Saunders on x
The link ban shifts Twitter from the “telephone exchange” category of communication business to the “radio station” category of communication business. The latter are generally legally liable for anything that's said on their stations... https://twitter.com/...
@alexisohanian @alexisohanian on x
For the many non-tech folks who follow me, it'll be interesting to watch who picks sides here between the YC Community (PG) and the Paypal Mafia (Elon) — both are entrenched communities in Silicon Valley (and usually pretty aligned).
@josephpolitano @josephpolitano on x
Elephant in the room is that Twitter is banning links to it's major American social media competitors (all the way down to something I've never heard of called Nostr) but not TikTok/Weibo because Musk doesn't want to upset the CCP given Tesla's involvement in China. https://twitt…
@carnage4life Dare Obasanjo on x
Looks like Elon's sales pitch also convinced Paul Graham. Another master class on running a social media site from Twitter's CEO https://twitter.com/...
@cosmonautmarcus Mar'cus on x
Definitely up there as the second dumbest thing he's done on here so far https://twitter.com/...
@rubberninja RubberRoss on x
I recognize that many of my of my viewers watch other YouTubers. However, I will no longer allow viewers to watch other creators videos on YouTube.
@snowden Edward Snowden on x
ayfkm https://twitter.com/...
@kairossbest Kai Ross-Best on x
Delete your Instagram then @Twitter https://twitter.com/... https://twitter.com/...
@levie Aaron Levie on x
@elonmusk I think Twitter should focus on solving “bigger” problems, personally. This just isn't one. Add more free features that make the product better for everyone, focus on advertisers and getting more b2b revenue. Most importantly, Twitter shouldn't be the story on Twitter e…
@jasondebolt @jasondebolt on x
You're free to speak, but you gotta pay to advertise. Sounds reasonable to me. https://twitter.com/...
@gergelyorosz Gergely Orosz on x
Incredible: he got suspended. https://twitter.com/...
@bcmerchant Brian Merchant on x
I'm not surprised Elon is rolling out policies designed to do exactly this re: Twitter users critical of him, but I am *a little* surprised that he's doing it in a way that makes it 100% clear exactly what he is doing, completely maximizing how pathetic it makes him look https://…
@jonkristinsson Jón on x
https://twitter.com/...
@heerjeet Jeet Heer on x
Remember when Jon Kay posted on Twitter that he had mistakenly been using dog shampoo for months, then people started making fun of him, which led his mom to start posting defenses of her special boy. I used to think that was unbeatable comedy. https://twitter.com/...
@alexzac Alex Zaccaria on x
. @elonmusk please don't make me sell my @Tesla
@kfury @kfury on x
This is basically Twitter's Red Wedding. https://twitter.com/...
@maxboot @maxboot on x
Getting suspended by Musk on Twitter is becoming a badge of honor like being sanctioned by Putin.
@adam22 @adam22 on x
😂😂😂 this app is North Korea now https://twitter.com/...
@realgeorgehotz George Hotz on x
Agreed that's this is an absolutely ridiculous policy. My bio link has been a link to my Instagram since I created this Twitter. Feel free to ban me. https://twitter.com/...
@juddlegum Judd Legum on x
UPDATE: The tweets by @TwitterSupport this morning, announcing a new policy banning linking to competing websites, have been deleted. The policy itself was deleted from Twitter's website.
@molly0xfff Molly White on x
Twitter has deleted @TwitterSafety's tweets and a webpage detailing its new policy to prevent accounts from promoting other social media platforms
@3r1ng Erin Gallagher on x
Welp it's gone now 🤷🏻‍♀️ https://twitter.com/... https://twitter.com/...
@briankrebs @briankrebs on x
...aaand, just like that, the policy doesn't exist anymore. Does the CEO? https://help.twitter.com/...
@nephyrus @nephyrus on x
TWITTER SUPPORT??? DELETED THE TWEET??????? https://twitter.com/...
@sarthakgh Sar Haribhakti on x
They took down the policy from the website and the corporate tweets are gone. Did the insiders not see the obvious unintended effects and predictable blowback? Or they did and the Musk refused to listen? Who is calling the shots? Is it really Musk on these policy changes?
@popbase @popbase on x
Twitter has deleted their announcement about banning the ‘promotion’ of other social media platforms. https://twitter.com/...
@monteiro Mike Monteiro on x
4D chess!! https://twitter.com/...
@pownicmania5000 @pownicmania5000 on x
NAH TWITTER SUPPORT DELETED THEIR TWEET LMFAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO https://twitter.com/...
@unusual_whales @unusual_whales on x
JUST IN: Twitter's official tweets and blog post announcing the new policy banning links that promote other social networks have been deleted, per MarketWatch.
@taylorlorenz Taylor Lorenz on x
The policy that I allegedly retroactively violated by promoting my Instagram and Mastodon account, has now been deleted from Twitter's website https://twitter.com/...
@b_fung Brian Fung on x
Aaaand as abruptly as it came, it's gone now: https://help.twitter.com/... https://twitter.com/...
@badastronomer @badastronomer on x
While this policy is garbage, *the way they've handled it* is much worse. It shows zero planning or thinking ahead about anything. As long as Elon is running things Twitter will simply be chaos. https://twitter.com/...
@dbraevn @dbraevn on x
The new policy has now been taken down. Both the policy page and the tweets from Twitter Support have been removed https://twitter.com/... https://help.twitter.com/... https://twitter.com/... https://twitter.com/...
@annjelife @annjelife on x
nevermind I guess??? https://www.cnn.com/...
@sifill_ Sherrilyn Ifill on x
Fascinating that banks & other investors are cool with a company they have financed being run like this. https://twitter.com/...
@deray @deray on x
and the rollercoaster continues. https://twitter.com/...
@joshuaphilll @joshuaphilll on x
All the Twitter Support tweets from earlier announcing the new policy banning links to other website have been deleted and the policy was removed from Twitter's website. Really a prime example of how Elon has been just making up the rules as he goes along.
@taylorlorenz Taylor Lorenz on x
The policy that I allegedly retroactively violated by promoting my Instagram and Mastodon account, has now been deleted from Twitter's website https://twitter.com/...
@lauren@mastodon.laurenweinstein.org Lauren Weinstein on mastodon
This entire Elon's #Twitter saga is the most ludicrous thing I've seen since “The Star Wars Holiday Special”.
@tonyposnanski Tony Posnanski on x
@TwitterSafety This is literally the Twitter Safety account. Your job is to make sure Twitter is safe. Before I answer this question, can someone explain to me how a Twitter user saying they are on another platform would make Twitter less safe?
@wallstcynic Diogenes on x
You forgot the somewhat important point about Musk/Twitter reportedly trying to sell equity in the company last week. https://twitter.com/...
@rainzzap Raina on x
kids taking ap gov in 2035 will be doing a dbq on twitter's brief democratic stint https://twitter.com/...
@meidastouch @meidastouch on x
Amateur hour https://twitter.com/...
@notabigjerk Lauren on x
@TwitterSafety How are you so bad at this
@chescaleigh Franchesca Ramsey on x
@TwitterSafety same energy https://twitter.com/...
@realshiina Shiina on x
The Twitter Safety account using polls in this way just seems... oddly wrong Wouldn't be surprised if this tweet was posted by Elon Musk himself https://twitter.com/...
@digiphile Alex Howard on x
@brianstelter Doubtful. Twitter polls can & have been manipulated in ways that suggest they shouldn't be associated truth of any kind. https://www.rollingstone.com/ ...
@ramonaquaxli Ramona Quaxli on x
This is just pathetic. And keep in mind that Elon fired so many people that it's likely him posting from all of these accounts. https://twitter.com/...
@breelundberg Bree Lundberg on x
Conflicting info by the hour as changes are made on a whim, and now policy decisions decided by polls?? What could go wrong?! Just a thought, but maybe he shouldn't have fired most of the employees, the people with expertise to make informed decisions on important changes. 🤷🏼 htt…
@stokel @stokel on x
87% of people in this poll have voted no so far. Thank you @TwitterSupport for giving journalists data points for how dumb your policy decisions are https://twitter.com/...
@oalexanderdk Oliver Alexander on x
The most hilarious part of new Twitter is when Elon's temper tantrum decisions get walked back, the people who furiously defended them as genius start having to break their backs bending over backward to explain why Twitter not implement them was the plan all along. https://twitt…
@mark_dubs @mark_dubs on x
“Hey guys, do you like this desperate move we're scrambling to undo?” https://twitter.com/...
@leahmcelrath Leah McElrath on x
Please go to sleep, @elonmusk. This is unseemly and deeply uncomfortable. https://twitter.com/...
@johanlenox Johan Lenox on x
i'm trying to think of a stupider way of making decisions https://twitter.com/...
@ultralovedeluxe Randi on x
this is so embarrassingly pathetic 😭😭😭 https://twitter.com/...
@frankcatalano Frank Catalano on x
@Techmeme @TwitterSafety This is Alice-in-Wonderland level fantasy. Twitter is Musk's. No one should presume any vote, or voice, other than his means anything.
@andyboxall Andy Boxall on x
Yet another poll asking advice on how to run Twitter, and an admission the owner has zero clue about how real people use and feel about this site, and the Internet in general. For a man that has a problem with Apple's walled garden, he sure seems happy to create his own. https://…
@evan_greer @evan_greer on x
wait so does this mean I actually AM allowed to tell people they can find me on mastodon, or no? https://twitter.com/...
@sifill_ Sherrilyn Ifill on x
This is so unprofessional and boring. https://twitter.com/...
@boring_as_heck @boring_as_heck on x
@TwitterSafety What are you fucking talking about lol
@juddlegum Judd Legum on x
This one is going to be blowout. Imagine thinking people will support your efforts to limit competition. All other social media platforms allow you to post tweets. https://twitter.com/...

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