London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Mar 24, 2023

'I think it’s an earthquake': The political world reckons with a Musk-owned Twitter

'I think it’s an earthquake': The political world reckons with a Musk-owned Twitter

Will a charismatic, reckless entrepreneur liberate the conversation, or wreck it with an election coming?

America’s political and media players woke up Friday to a new reality: One of the country’s most outspoken, often divisive, business figures is now the moderator of its most obsessive political conversation.

Elon Musk, after formally taking control of Twitter and firing four key executives, tweeted “the bird is freed” — touching off a wave of both anxiety and relief in different corners of the political world.

Conservatives, especially on the Trumpist right, view Musk as something of a savior, liberating Twitter from what they see as a progressive-liberal approach to what content is allowed, and what’s prohibited.

Liberals worry about what happens to a key information platform without a gatekeeper, less than two weeks before the midterms — especially if Musk allows Donald Trump back onto the platform that injected his thoughts and misinformation directly into the political bloodstream for years.



“I think it’s an earthquake,” said Abhi Rahman, a Democratic strategist, inviting Trump if he runs for president again in 2024 to “spread any lies he wants about the election, voting machines, etc.”

Said one adviser to major Democratic donors, bluntly: “Huge and terrible ramifications.”

On Friday afternoon, Musk tweeted that he’ll be forming a “content moderation council” — stating “no major content decisions or account reinstatements will happen before that council convenes.”

As of now, Trump isn’t back on the platform. Twitter didn’t respond when asked if Trump had been invited back on, and Trump’s personal account (@realDonaldTrump) is still suspended as of Friday afternoon. In a post on his own platform, Truth Social, he wrote, “I am very happy that Twitter is now in sane hands.” He told Fox News on Friday, “I am staying on Truth. I like it better, I like the way it works, I like Elon, but I’m staying on Truth.”


“Long-term catastrophe”


Many of the closest observers of Twitter, both left and right, focused on the departure of Vijaya Gadde, Twitter’s top lawyer and policy chief, who Musk reportedly fired last night. (Gadde has not commented, but her Twitter bio no longer lists her at the company.)

Over the past few years, Gadde had emerged as the face of the platform’s free-speech and content-moderation policies, infuriating conservatives who thought she unfairly de-platformed Trump — while reassuring liberals with her views on the importance of maintaining civil discourse.

Gadde’s removal is a “long-term catastrophe,” said Jesse Lehrich, co-founder of watchdog nonprofit Accountable Tech. “She’s the moral compass and clear-eyed leader of the sort of decision making team there on everything from standing up to laws that violate human rights from authoritarian regimes … to making decisions on election integrity violations and hate speech in the U.S.”

Civil rights groups raised alarms on the timing of her removal — just 11 days before the midterms. “That we could predict it doesn’t make it any less concerning,” said Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League. “Leaving Twitter without someone in this critical role when it’s arguably needed most is really worrisome.”

With Musk’s assurance that he wouldn’t make “major” changes prior to establishing the moderation board he also promised prior to the deal closing on Thursday that the site wouldn’t become a “free-for-all hellscape,” in a post aimed at worried advertisers. Yet, he’s also said he wants fewer rules over what people can say and do on the platform.

Technical experts say it’s unlikely Twitter’s content moderation systems will change quickly, even without its former policy chief. Katie Harbath, the former public policy director at Facebook who oversaw their elections work, said it’s not that easy to turn off some of the algorithms that are set to proactively detect and remove misinformation and hate speech.

“You can’t turn and change these classifiers on a dime – you can turn them off – but you can’t really adjust. That takes time to do,” Harbath said.

Even so, there are signs Musk’s takeover has liberated some darker impulses in the American conversation. The Network Contagion Research Institute, an independent center that tracks online trends, says it has measured an uptick in the use of at least one racial slur in the 12 hours since the Musk buyout.

The new owner is also attracting attention on Capitol Hill.

“As Mr. Musk takes the reins, I will be watching to see if the company maintains its commitment to promote healthy dialogue, free from disinformation and harassment,” said Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), who chairs the House Energy and Commerce panel on consumer protection. “Mr. Musk has a lot to prove because just this week, we saw the Department of Justice open an investigation into his other venture, Tesla.”


“In Trumpworld a lot of people go back and forth”


In the hours since Musk’s takeover, MAGA-world has celebrated an owner it sees as a potential savior of “free speech.” Several MAGA-related accounts called on Musk to remove alleged “shadow-bans” — which they claim have prevented them from posting. For instance, Musk tweeted on Friday he’d look into claims from a user called “Catturd2” — who was previously retweeted by Trump for spreading election lies and supporting the former president. The user said their supposed “search ban” was lifted today.

The biggest potential game-changer, of course, would be the return of Trump himself, who previously had more than 88 million followers.

For the former president, it’s now a more complicated question, since he runs — and is a key draw for — Truth Social, launched the year after Twitter banned his account. That platform is friendlier to his ideas and supporters but has far fewer followers, and less reach.



“In Trumpworld a lot of people go back and forth on whether he should or shouldn’t [return to Twitter],” said a person who speaks to Trump regularly, who was granted anonymity to speak candidly.

“It’s like if reporters share his Truths on Twitter, what’s the point of going back on Twitter? That’s the prevailing thought, there’s really no need to get back on.”

In the small ecosystem of right-leaning social platforms, which stand to lose users if Musk makes Twitter feel friendlier to the Trump movement, leaders pushed back at the idea that the entrepreneur would be able to quickly change Twitter’s culture and standards.

“So far it’s only free speech lip service from Elon Musk. Come back to me when he reinstates President Trump,” said GETTR CEO and former Trump adviser Jason Miller in an interview. He later added, “Unless Elon Musk fires every coder, every engineer and every moderator in the entire company and starts all over, political discrimination is going to persist at Twitter. It’s too fundamentally rooted in their culture.”

George Farmer, CEO of Parler, the platform that was recently sold to Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, said Musk’s acquisition showed that his attempt to make Twitter a “freewheeling platform” came at a “significant price,” noting the $44 billion price tag. He said Twitter won’t stop Parler’s efforts to build a “truly uncancelable ecosystem.”


“I look at Twitter like a petri dish”


For Democrats, the announcement could hardly have come at a worse time — with Republicans likely to take the House next month and Trump widely expected to run for president again.

Trump looms large in their worries — “The minute he’s back on Twitter, he immediately has the attention of tens of tens of millions of followers, tens of millions of people, and every media person who I believe will stay on Twitter,” said Adam Loewy, a Texas lawyer and Democratic donor, said Friday — but he’s not the whole story.

Musk, who has described himself as a “free speech absolutist,” doesn’t hide where he’s coming from politically, which has significant implications for the left.



On Twitter in May, Musk called the Democratic Party “the party of division & hate.” And Twitter, though smaller than some other social media platforms, is an influential place for the billionaire SpaceX and Tesla CEO to be saying that kind of thing.

Never mind the overall user base, which Pew Research Center puts at about a quarter of U.S. adults. Rather, it’s who’s watching: Politicians, campaign strategists, activists and, perhaps most importantly, news producers and editors. Campaigns use the platform to test messages they later launch on TV. One attack ad against Republican Herschel Walker in Georgia’s U.S. Senate race features a narrator reading from a post on Twitter by Walker’s son.

“It’s certainly useful in setting the narrative with reporters, and also getting influencers who have their own separate platforms, email lists, intrigued with something, whatever you’re pushing at the moment,” said John Thomas, a Republican strategist who works on House campaigns across the country. “I look at Twitter like a petri dish. It’s where ideas can go to die or grow. It’s where message themes can die or grow.”

Right now, despite all the hand-wringing about abusive speech or censorship, the overwhelming majority of the political world is on it — hard-right stars like Rep. Matt Gaetz are just as much a presence as the Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortezes of the world.

If a partisan, highly volatile owner steps in and changes things, it may become less appealing to the reporters, activists and politicians who now call it home.

“At least on Twitter, as much as we fight as Americans, we’re on the same platform,” said Mike Madrid, a Republican strategist who was a co-founder of the anti-Trump Lincoln Project.

“It’s not like we’re having a healthy exchange of ideas. We’re calling each other pedophiles, racists and grifters, but at least we’re doing it on the same platform. Without Twitter, what is there?”

Madrid, like many observers, was initially doubtful that the sale would go through. But now that it has, he said, “it’s really the next step in the partisanship of the public square.”

Newsletter

Related Articles

London Daily
Close
0:00
0:00
Police violence in Paris
You're Beautiful - James Blunt (Boyce Avenue acoustic cover)
Paris: Some of the police are stepping down and showing solidarity with the protesters.
You Are So Beautiful
Donald Trump arrested – Twitter goes wild with doctored pictures
Postmodern Jukebox European Tour Version
NYPD is setting up barricades outside Manhattan Criminal Court ahead of Trump arrest.
An old French tune (by Georges Brassens) Pomplamoose ft. John Schroeder
Credit Suisse's Scandalous History Resulted in an Obvious Collapse - It's time for regulators who fail to do their job to be held accountable and serve as an example by being behind bars.
Sattahip Motor Show 20
Home Secretary Suella Braverman tours potential migrant housing in Rwanda as asylum deal remains mired in legal challenges
SONATE AU CLAIR DE LUNE - Moonlight sonata
Goldman Sachs cuts outlook for European bank debt over Credit Suisse crisis
A kiss to build a dream on
Paris Rioting vs Macron anti democratic law
Wiz Khalifa - See You Again ft. Charlie Puth, Furious
'Sexual Fantasy' Assignment At US School Outrages Parents
Wonderful Tonight - Eric Clapton (Boyce Avenue acoustic cover)
Orbán Viktor: the restructuring of the power relations in the whole of Europe is taking place
Mean Blues
Credit Suisse to borrow $54 billion from Swiss central bank
La Chansonnette
The BBC problem about China
Pattaya Addicts
Strikes-Hit UK Pledges 94 Billion Euros In Cost-Of-Living Budget
Franz Liszt - Liebestraum - Love Dream
Russian Hackers Preparing New Cyber Assault Against Ukraine
Dream a little dream of me
"Will Fly Wherever International Law Allows": US Warns Russia After Drone Incident
Tu Vuo' Fa' L'Americano - Hetty & the Jazzato Band
UK face biggest fall in spending power for 70 years
Unchained Melody sung like you've NEVER heard!
Jeremy Hunt insists his Budget will get young parents and over-50s back into work
Dave Brubeck - Take Five
If this was in Tehran, Moscow or Hong Kong
Édith Piaf - Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien (Sofie)
Announcing GPT-4
Rondo Alla Turca
TRUMP: "Standing before you today, I am the only candidate who can make this promise: I will prevent World War III."
Kiss of fire
Drew Barrymore
Ed Sheeran - Perfect (Amadeus violin cover instrumental)
China is calling out the US, UK, and Australia on their submarine pact, claiming they are going further down a dangerous road
Tom Jones - I´ll Never Fall In Love Again 1967, 1989, 2001
A brief banking situation report
Israel Cachao López - Guajira Clásica
We are witnessing widespread bank fails and the president just gave a 5 min speech then walked off camera.
Edward Maya - Stereo Love (feat. Vika Jigulina) (Extended Mix)
Donald Trump's asked by Tucker Carlson question on if the U.S. should support regime change in Russia?.
Strauss - Radetzky March - Karajan
'No relation to the American SVB': India's SVC Bank acts to calm depositors amid brand name confusion.
La vie en rose
Good news: The U.S. government is now guaranteeing all deposits, held by, Silicon Valley Bank, and the funds are available as of today
Despacito (Piano Cover) - Peter Bence
Silicon Valley Bank exec was Lehman Brothers CFO
The Temptations - My Girl (Smokey Robinson Tribute) 2006 Kennedy Cent
In a potential last-ditch effort, HSBC is considering a rescue deal to save Silicon Valley Bank UK from insolvency
Orlando Cachaito Lopez Redencion
Saudi Arabia has announced a major breakthrough in diplomacy with Iran after two years of intense talks
Edith Piaf - NON, JE NE REGRETTE RIEN
BBC Director General, Tim Davie, has apologized, but not resigned, yet, following the disruption of sports programmes over the weekend
RADETZKY MARCH-2008-Wien, New Year Concert
A Mississippian man, who was once considered a “ticking time bomb,” has lost a whopping 165 kilograms! What motivated this incredible transformation?
Only you (And you alone)
Elon Musk Is Planning To Build A Town In Texas For His Employees
Beautiful in White x Canon in D (Piano Cover by Riyandi Kusuma)
The Silicon Valley Bank’s collapse effect is spreading around the world, affecting startup companies across the globe
Strangers In The Night
City officials in Berlin announced on Thursday that all swimmers at public pools will soon be allowed to swim topless
Charles Aznavour - La Boheme
Fitness scam
Summer time
Market Chaos as USDC Loses Peg to USD after $3.3 Billion Reserves Held by Silicon Valley Bank Closed.
Sting and Stevie Wonder - Fragile (from Sting's 60th birthday concert)
A primitive judge in Australia sparked outrage when he told a breastfeeding woman to leave his courtroom for being “a distraction"
Aux Champs Elysees
Barcelona is feeling the heat as they face corruption charges over payments to former vice-president of Spain's referees' committee, Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira
Stand By Me - Ben E. King (Boyce Avenue acoustic cover)
Banking regulators close SVB, the largest bank failure since the financial crisis
La Mer (Beyond the Sea) – Avalon Jazz Band
Watch: “They are wounded but unbowed, unbreakable.”
She
Silicon Valley Bank: Struggles Threaten Tech Startup Ecosystem"
Nathalie Song by Enzo Petrachi Stjepan Hauser Cello
The unelected UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, an immigrant himself, defends new controversial crackdown on illegal migration
Shape of My Heart - Sting (Boyce Avenue acoustic cover)
Old clip of Bill Gates saying Ukraine is a big, fat, corrupt sinkhole is going viral
Radiohead - Creep
Man’s penis amputated by mistake after he’s wrongly diagnosed with a tumour
Quizás,Quizás,Quizás - Andrea Bocelli - Jennifer Lopez
Motorist fined £650 after council ‘paints disabled bay around his car
Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps - Multi-Couples
Brexit Deal Falls Short: UK Regains Few Pre-Brexit Benefits
Pentatonix Havana
In a major snub to Downing Street's Silicon Valley dreams, UK chip giant Arm has dealt a serious blow to the government's economic strategy by opting for a US listing
Paula Cole - Autumn Leaves
Brexit is done (sort of), again
Oscar Benton Bensonhurst Blues
JP Morgan Becomes First Bank to Predict UK Will Avoid Recession
OH NANANA vs ABUSADAMENTE
Nina Simone - ”I Put A Spell On You”. Vezi aici cum cântă Jeremy Ragsd
NIGHTWISH - The Phantom Of The Opera
Motorshow 2016 Tanjay Negros Oriental
Monica Bellucci - Ti Amo
Michael Jackson - Billie Jean Milena The Voice France 2018
Michael Buble (Help Me Make It Through The Night) feat Loren Allred
Memories Canon In D - Maroon 5 (Boyce Avenue piano acoustic cover)
Matteo Simoni - Marina
Maroon 5 - One More Night
Maroon 5 - Memories
Mark Knopfler - Brothers In Arms (Berlin 2007 Live)
Mark Knopfler & Emmylou Harris - Romeo And Juliet (Real Live Roadrunni
Marina, Marina - The LUCKY DUCKIES intimist live concert at Guimarães
Major Lazer & DJ Snake – Lean On Mauranne The Voice France 2016
Love Theme from Romeo and Juliet - Joslin - Henri Mancini, Nino Rota
LoLa & Hauser - Love Story
Linkin Park Jay-Z - Numb Encore (Live 8 2005)
Hallelujah Mennel Ibtissem, The Voice France Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen - Dance Me to the End of Love
Leonard Cohen & Natasha Rostova - Dance me to the end of love
La casa de papel - Bella Ciao
La Camisa Negra
L'italiano (Toto Cutugno) - The Gypsy Queens
Juanes - La Camisa Negra
Jonathan and Charlotte - Britain's Got Talent 2012 Live Semi Final - U
John Powell - Assassin's Tango
Joe Cocker - You Can Leave Your Hat On (LIVE in Dortmund)
Joe Cocker - Unchain My Heart 2002 Live
Joe Cocker - A Whiter Shade Of Pale
Jay Z & Alicia Keys - Empire State of Mind LIVE
Jason Mraz - Im Yours (live)
Jarrod Radnich - Bohemian Rhapsody - Virtuosic Piano Solo
James Blunt - You're Beautiful
James Blunt - You're Beautiful & Bonfire Heart (Live at The Nobel Peac)
If You Go Away - Helen Merrill & Stan Getz (Tribute to Virna Lisi)
I'LL BE MISSING YOU
I Say a Little Prayer
Hotel California ( Eagles ) 1994 Live
Historia de un amor - Luz Casal. Vezi interpretarea Biancăi Sumanariu
Here Comes The Sun - The Beatles (Boyce Avenue acoustic cover) on Spot
Heart - Stairway to Heaven Led Zeppelin - Kennedy Center Honors
HAVANA by Camila Cabello Zumba Pre Cooldown TML Crew Kramer Pastra
HAUSER and Señorita - I Will Always Love You
HAUSER - Waka Waka
HAUSER - Sway
HAUSER - Lambada
HAUSER - Historia de un Amor
HAUSER - Despacito
Great Pretender
Georgia May Foote & Giovanni Pernice Samba to 'Volare' - Strictly Come
Gary Moore - Still Got The Blues
GIPSY KINGS VOLARE Penelope Cruz
Fugees - Killing Me Softly With His Song
French Latino - Historia de un Amor
For A Few Dollars More The Danish National Symphony Orchestra (Live)
Flashdance • What a Feeling • Irene Cara
Filip Rudan - “Someone You Loved” Audicija 4 The Voice Hrvatska Sez
Eric Clapton - Wonderful Tonight
Enya - Only Time
Enrique Iglesias - Bailando (English Version) ft. Sean Paul
Enrique Iglesias - Bailamos
Elena Yerevan Historia de un amor
Ed Sheeran - Shape of You (Official Music Video)
Ed Sheeran - Perfect Symphony [with Andrea Bocelli]
Ed Sheeran - Perfect (Official Music Video)
Easy On Me - Adele (Boyce Avenue 90’s style piano acoustic cover) on S
ERA - Ameno
ELENA YEREVAN- Cancion Del Mariachi-IN STUDIO-2017 DPR
Dust In The Wind - Kansas (Boyce Avenue acoustic cover)
Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood
Despacito x Shape Of You - Pentatonix
Deep Purple - Child In Time - Live (1970)
David Foster When A Man Loves A WomanIt's A Mans World (SealMichael Bo
Dance me to the end of Love ( Pi-Air Design )
Coolio - Gangsta's Paradise (feat. L.V.) [Official Music Video]
Conquest Of Paradise (Vangelis), played on Böhm Emporio organ
Cielito Lindo
Chico & The Gypsies - Bamboleo
Canción Del Mariachi - Antonio Banderas, Los Lobos • Desperado
Camila Cabello - Havana (Audio) ft. Young Thug
Camila Cabello - Havana ( cover by J.Fla )
California Dreamin' - The Mamas & The Papas José Feliciano (Boyce Ave
Buster Benton - Money Is The Name of The Game
Hallelujah Pentatonix
Bobby McFerrin - Don't Worry Be Happy (Official Music Video)
Bob Dylan - Knockin' On Heaven's Door Emilia The Voice Kids France
Besame Mucho - Cesaria Evora
Ben E. King - Stand by Me Sax Cover Alexandra Ilieva Thomann
Bella Ciao
Bella Ciao - INSTRUMENTAL
Beautiful in White x Canon in D (Piano Cover by Riyandi Kusuma)
Bad Romance - Vintage 1920's Gatsby Style Lady Gaga Cover ft. Ariana Savalas & Sarah Reich(1)
BELLA CIAO 2020 - KARAOKE ITALIANO
BAMBOLEO - Gipsy Kings • Antonio Banderas, Katya Virshilas
BAILANDO (original)
Awesome Ukrainian yodeler - SOFIA SHKIDCHENKO (with English subtitles)
Avicii - The Nights
Atom - The Great Gig in the Sky
Aretha Franklin - (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman (Official Ly
Antonio Banderas - Cancion del Mariachi (Desperado)
André Rieu - Zorba's Dance (Sirtaki)
André Rieu - Can't Help Falling In Love
André Rieu & Mirusia - Ave Maria
Andrew Reyes Elton John - Don't Let The Sun Go Down The Voice 2020 (
Andreas Kümmert Whiter Shade Of Pale The Voice of Germany 2013 Showd
And I Love You So
All About That Bass - Postmodern Jukebox European Tour Version
Alan Walker - Faded (Piano Cover)
Ain't No Sunshine -- Bill Withers (cover by Canen 12 y.o.)
African music
Adriana Vidović - “Creep” Audicija 4 The Voice Hrvatska Sezona 3
Adriana Vidović - “Believer” Nokaut 3 The Voice Hrvatska Sezona 3
A Fistful of Dollars - The Danish National Symphony Orchestra and Tuva
4 Beautiful Soundtracks Relaxing Piano [10min]
2CELLOS - Whole Lotta Love vs. Beethoven 5th Symphony [OFFICIAL VIDEO]
2CELLOS - Smooth Criminal (Live at Suntory Hall, Tokyo)
2CELLOS - Smells Like Teen Spirit [Live at Sydney Opera House]
2CELLOS - Despacito [OFFICIAL VIDEO]
13 Year Old Girl Playing Il Silenzio (The Silence) - André Rieu
094.All About That Bass
00 - SADNESS PART 1
(Ghost) Riders In the Sky (American Outlaws Live at Nassau Coliseum, 1
(Everything I Do) I Do It For You - Bryan Adams (Boyce Avenue ft. Conn
What a wonderful world
Moon river
×