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| Ten days of Twitter chaos | Ten days of Twitter chaos |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Elon Musk has a reputation for being an erratic, but brilliant business leader. In his first 10 days as Twitter boss, we have seen more of the former than the latter. | Elon Musk has a reputation for being an erratic, but brilliant business leader. In his first 10 days as Twitter boss, we have seen more of the former than the latter. |
| Twitter has long been thought of by Silicon Valley investors as poorly run - but with bags of potential. | Twitter has long been thought of by Silicon Valley investors as poorly run - but with bags of potential. |
| Mr Musk enticed his rich friends to invest with an argument that Twitter - in the hands of someone who knew what they were doing - could be great. Free speech would abound and profits would follow. | Mr Musk enticed his rich friends to invest with an argument that Twitter - in the hands of someone who knew what they were doing - could be great. Free speech would abound and profits would follow. |
| But the first 10 days as boss has exposed Mr Musk's lack of experience at running a social media company. | But the first 10 days as boss has exposed Mr Musk's lack of experience at running a social media company. |
| It was all smiles when he took over, tweeting: "The Bird is Freed." | It was all smiles when he took over, tweeting: "The Bird is Freed." |
| However, Mr Musk's initial set of policies seemed at odds with his utterances in the summer. | However, Mr Musk's initial set of policies seemed at odds with his utterances in the summer. |
| Whereas he had said he was a "free speech absolutist" and Donald Trump would be allowed on to the platform - he now argued that a "council" would be set up full of "diverse" voices to decide on controversial moderation decisions and permanent suspensions. | Whereas he had said he was a "free speech absolutist" and Donald Trump would be allowed on to the platform - he now argued that a "council" would be set up full of "diverse" voices to decide on controversial moderation decisions and permanent suspensions. |
| Mr Musk was announcing a policy that looked very similar to Facebook's - which has an "oversight board" for these issues. | Mr Musk was announcing a policy that looked very similar to Facebook's - which has an "oversight board" for these issues. |
| He also said in the short term that moderation policy would not be altered. | He also said in the short term that moderation policy would not be altered. |
| But he did announce one big change - to Twitter's verification system. | But he did announce one big change - to Twitter's verification system. |
| The platform will charge users who want a blue tick verified account $8 (£7) a month, after initial reports of a $20 monthly fee were met with complaints by some celebrities, including author Stephen King. | The platform will charge users who want a blue tick verified account $8 (£7) a month, after initial reports of a $20 monthly fee were met with complaints by some celebrities, including author Stephen King. |
| This price reduction may have already been decided, but it gave the impression that the pricing had not been thought through, and that famous users were dictating the policy. | This price reduction may have already been decided, but it gave the impression that the pricing had not been thought through, and that famous users were dictating the policy. |
| Subscription route to profit | Subscription route to profit |
| There were other criticisms too. | There were other criticisms too. |
| The policy was due to be implemented in a few days. Anyone could pay to get verified and not only would they receive a blue tick, but they would also have priority in replies, mentions and search. In other words, accounts could now pay for prestige - and to be amplified on the platform. | The policy was due to be implemented in a few days. Anyone could pay to get verified and not only would they receive a blue tick, but they would also have priority in replies, mentions and search. In other words, accounts could now pay for prestige - and to be amplified on the platform. |
| The policy announcement instantly raised questions about authenticity and fairness. Content would now float above others because the user had paid their monthly sub. | The policy announcement instantly raised questions about authenticity and fairness. Content would now float above others because the user had paid their monthly sub. |
| Mr Musk said his policy was a way of addressing Twitter's bot problem. Mass verification would weed out spam accounts. But this was also about money - he believes a subscription model for Twitter is a route to profit. | Mr Musk said his policy was a way of addressing Twitter's bot problem. Mass verification would weed out spam accounts. But this was also about money - he believes a subscription model for Twitter is a route to profit. |
| Others raised questions about what opening up the verification process would do to the spread of disinformation. | Others raised questions about what opening up the verification process would do to the spread of disinformation. |
| With verification open to anyone, how would Twitter be able to confirm everyone was who they said they were? | With verification open to anyone, how would Twitter be able to confirm everyone was who they said they were? |
| With the US midterms around the corner, some worried that people could pretend to be election co-ordinators or journalists, and spread voter disinformation. | With the US midterms around the corner, some worried that people could pretend to be election co-ordinators or journalists, and spread voter disinformation. |
| It seemed obvious that a lot of human resources would be needed to adequately verify the expected flood of new accounts. with any of Twitter's 300 million daily active users able to apply. | It seemed obvious that a lot of human resources would be needed to adequately verify the expected flood of new accounts. with any of Twitter's 300 million daily active users able to apply. |
| Twitter users jump to Mastodon - but what is it? | Twitter users jump to Mastodon - but what is it? |
| Twitter to lose magic with blue tick fee, says ex-exec | Twitter to lose magic with blue tick fee, says ex-exec |
| Who is Elon Musk? | Who is Elon Musk? |
| During his first week, Mr Musk had reportedly asked managers to draw up lists of employees to release. | During his first week, Mr Musk had reportedly asked managers to draw up lists of employees to release. |
| On Thursday - fewer than seven days after Mr Musk officially bought the company - staff were emailed saying their jobs were under threat. About half of Twitter's 7,500 employees were then released. | On Thursday - fewer than seven days after Mr Musk officially bought the company - staff were emailed saying their jobs were under threat. About half of Twitter's 7,500 employees were then released. |
| That huge cull in staff raised more than a few eyebrows. Why pay $44bn for a company and then sack half the staff? | That huge cull in staff raised more than a few eyebrows. Why pay $44bn for a company and then sack half the staff? |
| The timing also seemed strange - how had an appraisal of who to fire been drawn up so fast? | The timing also seemed strange - how had an appraisal of who to fire been drawn up so fast? |
| Employees were told that they would receive an email by 16:00 GMT on Friday for official confirmation, but for many it never arrived. | Employees were told that they would receive an email by 16:00 GMT on Friday for official confirmation, but for many it never arrived. |
| Simon Balmain, a senior community manager who had been logged out of his Twitter account, told the BBC he was in "limbo". | Simon Balmain, a senior community manager who had been logged out of his Twitter account, told the BBC he was in "limbo". |
| Twitter's offices were reportedly locked to all employees, except for those in mission-critical jobs. Staff were locked out of their accounts en masse. Few knew what was going on. | |
| Instantly, questions were raised about moderation. How could Twitter take down disinformation and hate speech on its platform with so many staff released? | Instantly, questions were raised about moderation. How could Twitter take down disinformation and hate speech on its platform with so many staff released? |
| On Friday evening, Twitter's head of integrity, Yoel Roth, tweeted that although half of the company had been sacked, those employed in front-line moderation had experienced "the least impact". | On Friday evening, Twitter's head of integrity, Yoel Roth, tweeted that although half of the company had been sacked, those employed in front-line moderation had experienced "the least impact". |
| Even so, how could Twitter usher in an unprecedented policy change of its verified accounts structure in such a state of flux? | Even so, how could Twitter usher in an unprecedented policy change of its verified accounts structure in such a state of flux? |
| On Saturday it was announced that the new verification process was to go ahead - anyone could apply to get a blue tick. | On Saturday it was announced that the new verification process was to go ahead - anyone could apply to get a blue tick. |
| But then reports from The New York Times suggested that the process had been delayed - until after the midterms. | But then reports from The New York Times suggested that the process had been delayed - until after the midterms. |
| It appeared Twitter recognised that bringing in such a consequential policy change - so close to key elections - could cause havoc. | It appeared Twitter recognised that bringing in such a consequential policy change - so close to key elections - could cause havoc. |
| And then on Sunday, Bloomberg reported Twitter was now asking some fired workers to come back - that it had been a mistake to let some of them go. | And then on Sunday, Bloomberg reported Twitter was now asking some fired workers to come back - that it had been a mistake to let some of them go. |
| Twitter has not responded to BBC requests for comment on these stories. | Twitter has not responded to BBC requests for comment on these stories. |
| It has been hard to follow at times - and we are only 10 days in. But the chaos does suggest that if Mr Musk did have a short-term strategy for how to change Twitter, it is not going exactly to plan. | It has been hard to follow at times - and we are only 10 days in. But the chaos does suggest that if Mr Musk did have a short-term strategy for how to change Twitter, it is not going exactly to plan. |