New York CNN —
Twitter said Sunday it would ban links to other social media services and ban accounts that try to direct users to alternative platforms in an apparent attempt to curb user attrition to competitors.
But Twitter CEO Elon Musk later relented, relaxing the policy and causing widespread confusion about what type of linking was and was not allowed on the platform.
Under the new policy set Sunday afternoon, linking to content on Facebook and Instagram would be prohibited, as well as linking to content on new Twitter alternatives, including Mastodon and Post. The rule also applies to Truth Social, the Twitter clone backed by former President Donald Trump.
Twitter’s move signals a shift toward a more closed environment, one that still accepts inbound traffic from other sites but makes it harder for users to leave Twitter’s site for other destinations.
“In particular, we will remove accounts created solely for the purpose of promoting other social platforms and content that contain links or usernames for the following platforms: Facebook, Instagram, Mastodon, Truth Social, Tribel, Nostr and Post”, the support account of twitter tweeted.
Despite the bans, Twitter said the new policy will still “allow paid advertising/promotion for all banned social media platforms.”
Hours after the policy was rolled out, Musk appeared to falter under criticism from other users and agreed to relax the rules. In an exchange with Box CEO Aaron Levie, who called the new policy “sad,” Musk agreed that it was “reasonable” that some might want to link to their Instagram profiles to promote their own business .
“The policy will only be adjusted to ban accounts if the *primary* purpose of that account is to promote competitors, which essentially falls under the no-spam rule,” Musk tweeted.
Then, amid the ongoing backlash, Musk opened a Twitter poll asking him if he should “step down as Twitter boss.”
“I will stand by the results of this poll,” Musk wrote.
Early Sunday night, “Ja” won by a margin of 58% to 42%.
Notably missing from Twitter’s list of banned social media platforms was TikTok, one of the internet’s fastest-growing social media platforms, whose ties to China have sparked national security concerns among US politicians. Musk’s own significant stake in China through his other company Tesla has raised doubts among critics about whether the CEO would stand up to China if the country’s leadership tried to pressure it on Twitter.
Twitter’s abrupt policy change on Sunday afternoon caused confusion for the platform’s former CEO Jack Dorsey answered: “Why?” Dorsey followed with: “Doesn’t make sense.”
The policy change comes after some Twitter users announced their intention to switch platforms last week after Twitter suspended a number of journalists covering Musk. Amid the backlash over the journalists’ suspension, Twitter quietly began blocking links to Mastodon.
Sunday’s initial announcement appeared to formalize that ban to become official Twitter policy, a move that could further raise eyebrows with Twitter regulators.
As part of Twitter’s new policy, the company said users must not “link” to social media platforms subject to the restrictions. Users were also barred from updating their Twitter profiles to include their account names on other platforms to inform followers where they might be found elsewhere on social media.
For example, posting encouragement to “follow me @username on Instagram” or “[email protected]” is restricted, Twitter said in a blog entry.
Attempts to circumvent this policy will also be prosecuted, the company said. Using link shortening services, for example, to obfuscate a URL’s true destination, or attempts to spell a URL in plain text also violate Twitter’s rules, the company said.
“If violations of this policy are included in your bio and/or account name, we will temporarily suspend your account and require changes to your profile to ensure the violation is no longer a violation,” the blog post reads. “Subsequent violations may result in a permanent suspension.”
First violations or isolated incidents may result in temporary bans or requests that users delete the offending content, Twitter said.
It’s unclear how or if the policy will be implemented following Musk’s apparent decision to ease restrictions Sunday night.
Users can still use third-party software to simultaneously post their social media content to multiple sites, including Twitter, the company said.
Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, and Truth Social’s parent company, Trump Media & Technology Group, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.