Mind Matters Natural and Artificial Intelligence News and Analysis

TagElon Musk (and Twitter)

radio mic
Mikrofon im Tonstudio, farbenfroh
Type
post
Author
News
Date
April 12, 2023
Categorized
Social Media
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An Entertaining Day at the Blue Bird

NPR bids "adieu" to Twitter and BBC bungles interview with Musk
News
April 12, 2023
2
Social Media

A few days ago, the tag “Government-funded Media” appeared underneath NPR’s masthead on Twitter. Today, the company announced its departure from the social media platform and laid out its intentions to proliferate content through email, an app, and “other social media platforms.” The official post reads, “NPR produces consequential, independent journalism every day in service to the public.” NPR claims editorial independence despite the tag denoting them as federally funded, and their decision to part ways with Twitter reflects their ire against Musk’s trepidatious move. A small percentage, according to NPR, is federally funded, but it is no secret that they lean heavy to the left in their commentary, especially in recent years. Musk resurrected a line from NPR (now Read More ›

twitter-man-business-stockpack-adobe-stock
Twitter, man, business.
Type
post
Author
News
Date
December 1, 2022
Categorized
Censorship, Social Media
Tagged
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Quick Update on the Musk n’ Twitter Show

Although Twitter has not “gone dark,” as many tech media types fondly hoped, the White House may be thinking of getting involved
News
December 1, 2022
2
Censorship, Social Media

Tech media types have done their best to chase major advertisers off Twitter since Elon Musk bought it earlier this year. But it has grown nonetheless, at least in the United States, in terms of downloads: “Data from two independent research firms, Apptopia and Sensor Tower, indicate that downloads and activity on Twitter are on the upswing in the weeks since Musk bought it and in comparison to last year, appearing to confirm Musk’s recent boasting that he has reinvigorated the social media app. ” (NBC News, November 30, 2022) The big issue, of course, is Musk’s commitment to free speech for people other than the Twitterati. The US government has hinted a few times that it might get involved, Read More ›

Office colleagues using digital devices during meeting, consulting internet
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post
Author
News
Date
October 26, 2022
Categorized
Business and Finance, Censorship, Social Media
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Control of Social Media: Changes in the Lineup

Not just Elon Musk but Ye West, Peter Thiel, and J.D. Vance have their hats in the ring
News
October 26, 2022
5
Business and Finance, Censorship, Social Media

The social media field is seeing a wave of insurgents — not because it is profitable (it largely isn’t, just now) but perhaps because control is important for other purposes. Of course, whether we want to or not, we must begin with Musk and Twitter. Tech entrepreneur Elon Musk must now acquire Twitter by October 28 or the whole thing goes back to trial in a Delaware court, where the judiciary will likely be peeved with him over antics that waste court time. The only people who are really unhappy now are Twitter employees. Musk announced an intention to lay off 75% of them and they have responded with an open letter: The letter demands that Musk commits to preserving Read More ›

bluebird-cat
Type
post
Author
News
Date
August 24, 2022
Categorized
Business and Finance, Social Media
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Ex-Security Head: Twitter Has Much Bigger Woes Than the Bots

Elon Musk’s buyout offer collapsed over the bots. Now, with a court case looming, we learn, bots were only a PART of Twitter’s problems
News
August 24, 2022
5
Business and Finance, Social Media

A new uproar at Twitter sheds an interesting light on Elon Musk’s on again-off again bid to buy the social media firm: Twitter has much bigger problems than bots, according to its former head of security, who just dropped a bomb in claims to the federal government that the site’s security is so lax it’s a risk to national security, and the company allegedly has foreign intelligence agents on the payroll… That former head of security submitted disclosures to those agencies, as well as Congress, detailing what CNN calls “reckless and negligent cybersecurity policies,” including that thousands of Twitter employees have access to central controls with no oversight, that executives have been knowingly lying to investors and regulators for years, Read More ›

icon-group-as-speech-bubble-cloud-stockpack-adobe-stock
Icon group as speech bubble cloud
Type
post
Author
Denyse O'Leary
Date
July 18, 2022
Categorized
Business and Finance, Censorship, Social Media
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Twitter vs. Musk: The Many Different Ways the Story Could End

Twitter, which didn’t really want Musk, is now suing to make him its boss. They all hate each other. Can this work?
Denyse O'Leary
July 18, 2022
5
Business and Finance, Censorship, Social Media

In the most recent episode of the Musk and Twitter show, Twitter was suing driverless car entrepreneur Elon Musk to compel him to buy the company at the original posted price — despite the fact that earlier, many employees didn’t want him to buy it at all. Also despite the fact that he says he no longer wants to. Readers, this is happening only because Big Tech stock values are way down. A useful article by technology reporter Alex Sherman at CNBC (July 11, 2022) identifies eight ways the saga could end, namely 1 and 4: Musk just ends up paying the $1B breakup fee or some other settlement and Twitter continues with its meltdowns and bot problems, as long Read More ›

twitter handle with care.jpg
Twitter handle with care
Type
post
Author
Denyse O'Leary
Date
July 9, 2022
Categorized
Business and Finance, Censorship, Social Media
Tagged
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Elon Musk Has Walked Out on Twitter … Or Has He?

Some think it’s all theater. Others that he is compelling a price reduction “by other means”
Denyse O'Leary
July 9, 2022
4
Business and Finance, Censorship, Social Media

Yesterday, Elon Musk announced that he was backing out of the deal to buy Twitter, which he was hoping to turn into more of a free speech platform: Elon Musk, the chief executive officer of Tesla (TSLA.O) and the world’s richest person, said on Friday he was terminating his $44 billion deal to buy Twitter (TWTR.N) because the social media company had breached multiple provisions of the merger agreement. Greg Roumeliotis, “Twitter vows legal fight after Musk pulls out of $44 billion deal” at Reuters (July 9, 2022) Twitter plans to fight: The Twitter Board is committed to closing the transaction on the price and terms agreed upon with Mr. Musk and plans to pursue legal action to enforce the Read More ›

world-twitter-connection-on-blackboard-stockpack-adobe-stock
World twitter Connection on Blackboard
Type
post
Author
Denyse O'Leary
Date
July 7, 2022
Categorized
Censorship, Social Media
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Twitter Now Suing India’s Government Over Its Censorship Demands

Meanwhile, on July 4, new owner-to-be Elon Musk tweets a jab at Twitter’s own censors: the British government “fact checks” Paul Revere
Denyse O'Leary
July 7, 2022
4
Censorship, Social Media

Twitter, never out of the news for long these days, is suing the government of India over censorship issues: On Tuesday, the U.S. social media platform asked an Indian court to overturn some of the government orders to kill posts, which Delhi had accused of spreading misinformation. They included posts that backed farmer protests and tweets critical of the government’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. Twitter called the crackdown overbroad and arbitrary, with the government demonstrating an “excessive use of powers”. Rina Chandran, “Twitter battles India for control of social media content” at Thomson Reuters Foundation News (July 6, 2022) No date is yet set for the hearing. Observers might be surprised by Twitter’s anti-censorship stance here, given the history Read More ›

world-twitter-connection-on-blackboard-stockpack-adobe-stock
World twitter Connection on Blackboard
Type
post
Author
Denyse O'Leary
Date
June 9, 2022
Categorized
Censorship, Social Media
Tagged
, , ,

Whew! Twitter Now Offers Musk a “Firehose” of Data From Botworld

Looming in the background is Musk’s proposal to make Twitter more of a free speech zone, a prospect that worries many Big Tech power players
Denyse O'Leary
June 9, 2022
5
Censorship, Social Media

That was fast. On Monday billionaire tech entrepreneur Elon Musk’s lawyers publicized a serious threat to walk away from his bid to buy Twitter if he didn’t start getting hard data on the phantom users (bots). Readers will recall that Twitter told the U.S. government that the bots comprise only 5% of the nearly 397 million active users. But few can literally believe that. Now, Twitter is telling Musk, fine, we’ll tell you what we know. But prepare to be swamped, inundated even, with data. From Ars Technica: “Mr. Musk believes Twitter is transparently refusing to comply with its obligations under the merger agreement, which is causing further suspicion that the company is withholding the requested data due to concern Read More ›

twitter-man-business-stockpack-adobe-stock
Twitter, man, business.
Type
post
Author
Denyse O'Leary
Date
June 6, 2022
Categorized
Censorship, Social Media
Tagged
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Will Musk’s Twitter Bid — Win or Lose — Damage Twitter’s Power?

Stirring the pot, Musk recently slammed current media’s marked disinterest in who teen sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein’s prominent clients were …
Denyse O'Leary
June 6, 2022
7
Censorship, Social Media

Just in: “Musk threatens to walk away from Twitter deal:” DETROIT (AP) — Elon Musk is threatening to walk away from his $44 billion bid to buy Twitter, accusing the company of refusing to give him information about its spam bot and fake accounts. Lawyers for the Tesla and SpaceX CEO made the threat in a letter to Twitter dated Monday, and Twitter disclosed it in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The letter says Musk has repeatedly asked for the information since May 9, about a month after his offer to buy the company, so he could evaluate how many of the company’s 229 million accounts are fake. Tom Krisher and Matt O’Brien , “Musk threatens Read More ›

roboter-auf-tastatur-methapher-fur-chatbot-socialbot-algorithmen-und-kunstliche-intelligenz-stockpack-adobe-stock
Roboter auf Tastatur, Methapher für Chatbot / Socialbot, Algorithmen und künstliche Intelligenz
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post
Author
Denyse O'Leary
Date
May 13, 2022
Categorized
Business and Finance, Social Media
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Musk’s Twitter Deal Is at Risk Amid Fierce Attacks on Him

Tarred as a privileged white South African, Musk moved to Canada at 17 to avoid serving in South Africa’s apartheid army
Denyse O'Leary
May 13, 2022
4
Business and Finance, Social Media

Traditional media and many tech mavens are elated that Elon Musk’s Twitter deal is now shaky. It’s no secret that they were unhappy with it and with him. The New York Times launched an extraordinary attack on Musk on May 5, tweeting “Elon Musk grew up in elite white communities in South Africa, detached from apartheid’s atrocities and surrounded by anti-Black propaganda. He sees his takeover of Twitter as a free speech win but in his youth did not suffer the effects of misinformation.” In reality, Musk left for Canada at the age of 17, to avoid serving in the South African military, whose principal purpose was to oppress black South Africans. He had Canadian citizenship by way of his Read More ›

caged colorful birds
Close up of small caged colorful birds in pet store in morning sun
Type
post
Author
Denyse O'Leary
Date
May 9, 2022
Categorized
Censorship, Global Technology
Tagged
, , , ,

Can Elon Musk Really Stop Big Tech From Controlling Us?

We usually don’t realize how far it has already gone in efforts to control our thinking
Denyse O'Leary
May 9, 2022
3
Censorship, Global Technology

Think it doesn’t control you? Andrew McDiarmid can offer you some examples of pervasive efforts to control our thinking: It appeared in Apple’s iPhone software update this year, when a “pregnant man” emoji was quietly added to keyboards. It’s seen in Google’s new (and currently stalled) “inclusive language” feature, which autocorrects gendered terms like “landlord,” “policeman” or “housewife.” Andrew McDiarmid, “Big Tech is subtly controlling our lives—and we need to fight back” at New York Post (May 7, 2022) Surely, almost nobody on the planet, apart from small pressure groups, had asked for a “pregnant man” emoji. The concept has nothing whatever to do with the serious problems many pregnant women face worldwide. Landlord? Again, many people worldwide face problems Read More ›