Thomas Ricker
“Try it but don’t trust it,” is good advice for all of Twitter.
DMs are untrustworthy and flawed, like the service itself in 2023.
Elon Musk Archive
Archives for May 2023
Richard Lawler
“Starting today.”
In March, we wondered why no one could find any mention of the Twitter ad revenue split Elon Musk had advertised a month earlier as a reason to buy Twitter Blue.
Now, while saying that Tucker Carlson hasn’t signed a deal with Twitter for his new show, Musk acknowledged Twitter is “still working on the software” to make the split happen. He didn’t mention whether any subscribers will get their $8 per month fees refunded.
Richard Lawler
Jacob Kastrenakes
Twitter plans to wipe out inactive accounts.
According to Elon Musk, at least, who has a habit of declaring Twitter policies that he does not follow through on.
This one could have big repercussions, though, and Musk didn’t provide clarity on what qualifies as being inactive. Does that mean no logins? No tweets? What happens to now-inactive icons like @Horse_Ebooks?
It’s probably a good time to fire off a tweet on your burner, just in case.
Jon Porter
Guess how many stations Elon Musk’s expanded Vegas Loop will have?
You guessed it, 69 — Musk’s favorite number. That’s up from original plans for 51 stations, and means the Boring Company-built system will now comprise 65 miles of tunnels under Las Vegas (up from 29 miles previously). I wonder what the traffic will be like?
Richard Lawler
If nothing else works, try threats.
Just as Twitter extended an olive branch to the MTA with free API access, Elon Musk emailed an NPR reporter threatening to reassign the outlet’s account.
The NPR stopped posting last month after Twitter tried adding account labels indicating it was controlled by the government.
Twitter’s own rules indicate an account is active as long as someone’s logging in, not whether they’re posting. But, those rules also used to use NPR as an example of an account that didn’t fit the criteria of a “state-owned” media organization. Things change.
Thomas Ricker
Jack Dorsey’s change of heart on Elon Musk.
The Twitter co-founder and former CEO said this when Musk bought Twitter one year ago:
Elon is the singular solution I trust... This is the right path...I believe it with all my heart.
Here’s Dorsey on Friday when asked on Bluesky if Musk has been the best possible leader for Twitter:
No... Nor do I think he acted right after realizing his timing was bad. Nor do I think the board should have forced the sale. It all went south.