The new owner of the social network, whose user he is very active, has drawn up his plan of action.
What will Twitter look like when Elon Musk owns the social network? The billionaire, a very active user of the platform, has not failed to share his ideas with his 83 million subscribers but also in interviews in recent weeks. They underwrite his priority projects to “unleash the potential” of Twitter, which he is about to acquire for $44 billion.
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A lighter moderation
Elon Musk has repeatedly proclaimed it in recent weeks: In his eyes, Twitter is “a digital agora” on which freedom of expression must be strengthened … by reducing moderation. The entrepreneur takes up well-known rhetoric within the American right. The social network, which is very influential in the media and the political class, has been accused of biased moderation and attempts to silence conservative voices. Many studies but proving the opposite… But the final ban of Donald Trump after the riots on Capitol Hill, as well as the shutting down of the repeated spread of disinformation about reports from the far right, have left their mark.
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While the American right is excited about the takeover of Twitter, other observers fear the platform will be plagued by disinformation and hate speech. However, the new Twitter will always be subject to the law, which defines illegal comments and obliges digital platforms to remove them as soon as they become aware of them. In Europe, Elon Musk will also have to deal with the Digital Services Act, which Twitter will be subject to until 2023. He will be dismissed on Saturday, forcing social networks to commit to funds in their moderation.
Algorithms made public
Elon Musk intends to make Twitter’s sorting algorithms public so everyone can understand how they work. These computer programs, which define what content is highlighted according to each user’s profile, have been criticized by regulators and researchers for their opacity and negative side effects (e.g. amplification of controversial content that evokes numerous reactions).
This measure should therefore be welcomed by the authorities. In Europe, the Digital Services Act requires major platforms to have their algorithms audited by regulators. You must also allow Internet users to opt out of this personalized sorting. Twitter already offers this option.
A button to fix your tweets
It’s a request as old as Twitter, which the social network was working on even before Elon Musk erupted in his capital. Unlike Facebook or Instagram, it is no longer possible on Twitter to edit a message, for example to correct a spelling mistake. The social network wants to change that by taking security precautions. For example, the message could only be processed a few minutes after it was published. Elon Musk also suggested that when a tweet is modified, the number of “retweets” (sharing a message with his own network) drops to zero.
A hunt for fake accounts
Elon Musk has never hidden his anger at the fake accounts that abound on the platform, particularly to spread cryptocurrency scams. Many scammers also use the Tesla founder’s name and picture to better fool their victims… “We will defeat the robots that spread spam and authenticate real people’s accounts,” he said on Thursday.
develop payment services
The billionaire believes Twitter’s business model is too dependent on advertising and that it needs to find new revenue streams. The social network is aware of this and has activated the Twitter Blue subscription in some countries, with which you can benefit from additional services for the equivalent of 2.50 euros per month.
In posts that he has since deleted, Elon Musk said the subscription price was too high and that he had to offer other benefits to attract more customers. For example, subscribers should no longer see ads in the app. They should also benefit from a distinctive mark on their avatar, like some sort of badge, to indicate they’re a premium subscriber.
SEE ALSO – Billionaire Elon Musk is buying the social network Twitter for $44 billion