Elon Musk faced new controversies regarding journalists banned from accessing the social network, new rules…

Protests after the suspension of journalists’ accounts, controversial tweets, riots over a new rule regarding the advertising of other social networks on the platform… This weekend ended a new complicated week for Twitter and its leader Elon Musk, who already had a series of hiccups. since last October. On Sunday evening, he launched a new poll asking if he would “leave the leadership of Twitter.” L’Obs captures this chaotic new week at the top of the social network.

• Misunderstanding about the new regulation

It’s a rule that has caused many users to misunderstand: Twitter announced Sunday evening that it will no longer be possible to do so “Free promotion of certain social networks on Twitter”.

Facebook, Instagram, Donald Trump’s social network Truth Social, Tribel, Post and Nostr or Mastodon are affected by this new measure, where many users have announced their migration after the takeover of Twitter by Elon Musk. As well as “social media link aggregators like linktr.ee, lnk.bio”is defined.

Elon Musk, the vanishing point of today’s capitalism

It is now strictly impossible to share his last photo posted on Instagram, Facebook publication on Twitter, or invite him to join Mastodon under penalty of deletion of the tweet or temporary account suspension, even if the user is a repeat offender.

Twitter’s announcement left users of the social network confused, even its co-founder Jack Dorsey was soberly surprised: “Why? ». Meanwhile, Facebook’s Twitter account posted a simple shy emoji.

Following the announcement, several accounts were suspended before tweets announcing the new rule were deleted. Elon Musk later tried to rectify the situation, assuring that instead of targeting individual tweets, the policy would be limited to that. “only suspend accounts if the account’s “primary” purpose is to promote competitors”. “There will be a vote for major political changes in the future. My excuses. It won’t happen again”Do you have he tweeted.

He then ran a poll on his account, asking users to answer yes or no to the question. “Should I leave Twitter management? “. “I will respect the results of this inquiry”, he assured. The poll, due to close on Monday morning, has more than 18 million responses, and by Monday morning had more than 57% of the yes vote. He assured the users that the entrepreneur has already chosen his successor that this is not the case.

• The scandal surrounding the suspension of journalists

Earlier last week, Elon Musk and Twitter faced another storm after the accounts of several journalists were suspended. At the heart of the case are conflicting messages about what is and isn’t permissible on the billionaire’s platform, whose initial claims have been tested by an enormous freedom of expression.

On Wednesday, Elon Musk suspended his @elonjet account, which automatically reports on the trips of his private jet. Several journalists from CNN, the New York Times, and the Washington Post have been suspended, some of them in the process. Elon Musk justified the suspension of the accounts by claiming that it endangered the safety of him and his family. post [sa] precise geographic location in real time, that is, coordinates that allow assassination in the literal sense.”

Twitter blocks left-wing accounts or reports massive data breaches

These suspensions and this justification immediately caused the anger of the UN and the European Union, the vice president of the European Commission even threatened him with sanctions.

Faced with scandal, Elon Musk launched an inquiry into whether he should restore these accounts. About 59% of the 3.69 million Internet users surveyed said they needed to be reinstated immediately, and the majority of suspended accounts were reinstated. On the UN side, the High Commissioner for Human Rights estimated this “Serious concerns remain” around the social network.

To add to the confusion, the audio chat service Twitter Space has been canceled following a discussion that left Elon Musk resuming the firing of a journalist. He said that a “Technical problem”.

• New start for Twitter Blue

It was one of Elon Musk’s first failures at the helm of the platform: the launch and then cancellation of Twitter Blue, the paid subscription program Twitter announced in November. The third version was released on Monday, December 12.

By app: $8 per month if users subscribe through the website, $11 per month for new subscriptions if through the mobile app on an Apple-branded device such as an iPhone or iPad. When faced with the proliferation of fake accounts during the first launch, the authentication conditions should be strengthened.

Could paid Twitter be the end of the social network?

Paying users will now be able to display checkmarks on their profiles, those little blue icons that used to identify the official accounts of companies and celebrities. They will be blue for individuals, gold for businesses and gray for institutions.

• New controversial tweets

Earlier last week, Elon Musk was criticized by the White House after a series of controversial tweets attacking Joe Biden’s outgoing adviser on the pandemic, particularly Anthony Fauci, a privileged target of the conservative right and antivax. “My pronouns are Accusative/Fauci”he notably wrote and posted a meme showing Dr. Fauci telling the American president: “Another arrest, my king”In an open criticism of this measure taken in the past to fight Covid.

The work of Elon M.

Notes “rebellious and detached from reality” According to the White House.

Elon Musk has also promoted the publication of several series in recent days “Twitter Files”internal documents demonstrating questionable moderation practices under the previous administration.

According to US media, he also attacked Twitter’s former security chief Yoel Roth, who had to leave his home for security reasons. The former boss of the platform, Jack Dorsey, publicly defended his former colleagues, saying that there were attacks against them. “can be dangerous and doesn’t solve anything”.