What happens if Twitter dies?
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8:37 am, November 8th, 2022 - 95 comments
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It seems strange to type this but Twitter may be terminal.
The social media site that has become the go to for many years for journalists, politicians and any one interested in news especially breaking news may be on its death bed.
If this happens it can be traced back to Donald Trump, whose infamous banning for the promotion of an insurrection has caused some whose extreme views of the right of free speech as well as the rights of unfettered capitalism to take action.
Eion Musk, backed by a shady coalition of financiers, has since bought the platform and promised there would be greater free speech, essentially for right extremist groups to say what they want. It appears that the structure of the deal will essentially wreck the platform. It will either fold under the weight of debt and diminishing advertisement income as advertisers flee an increasingly hostile environment or Musk may sell before it does so.
Either way I doubt it will ever return to its former glory.
Twitter shows all that is good about the Internet, as well as all that is bad.
It has allowed for breaking news to be spread world wide, for nuance and detail to flesh out news stories. It allowed for like minded groupings of people online to form and for friendships to develop.
It has also allowed for disinformation to be spread widely. It accentuated anger and conflict, more temperate postings did not usually get the same attention.
It replaced blogs. It is clear to me that in the heyday of the Standard, where intense debates involving the likes of Whaleoil and Cactus Kate as well as Standard authors used to be quite common. Those debates and interactions have since moved onto twitter.
What Twitter came to resemble was a great big commons where information and disinformation was laid out for all to see.
Twitter’s actions in holding back Trump’s assault on democracy was a perfectly valid and much needed step to take. Using your platform for the mass promulgation of fake news should not be tolerated.
When Musk announced his take over of Twitter he said:
Free speech is the bedrock of a functioning democracy, and Twitter is the digital town square where matters vital to the future of humanity are debated.”
But now that he is in control he has engaged in the sort of censorship which does not normally comply with usual understandings of the freedom of speech. Like banning parody accounts:
First they came for the parody accounts… and I was pretty shocked, because there are actual Nazis on this platform that should probably be dealt with first. https://t.co/tufCFHJPzF
— Larry the Cat (@Number10cat) November 7, 2022
Musk’s response appears to be a response to accounts that parody him. He has the thickness of skin of Donald Trump.
It also reflects a general response by the right to parody. Remember when Trump threw DOJ resources into attempts to find out who on twitter was impersonating Devon Nunes’ cow?
Musk’s attempts to improve profitability includes an attempt for tick holders to pay a monthly price for the benefit of doing so. This has not gone down well. He has responded by blaming activist groups for Twitter’s financial woes when clearly it is a case of spooked advertisers backing away.
And if you think that Musk is politically impartial he has just advocated for people to vote Republican.
This is like watching a slow motion train wreck. I predict that Twitter will never be the same.
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- Another ‘Stolen Generation’ enabled by court ruling on Waitangi Tribunal summonsTonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Budget blunder shows Nicola Willis could cut recovery fundingIt appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...2 weeks ago
- Further environmental mismanagement on the cardsThe Government’s resource management reforms will add to the heavy and ever-growing burden this Government is loading on to our environment. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: RMA changes will be a disaster for environmentThe Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour supports urgent changes to emergency management systemLabour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour calls for New Zealand to recognise PalestineThe Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Three strikes law political posturing of worst kindThe Government is bringing back a law that has little evidential backing just to look tough, Labour justice spokesperson Duncan Webb said. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Government cuts unbelievably target child exploitation, violent extremism, ports and airpor...Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...2 weeks ago
- Three strikes has failed before and will fail againResurrecting the archaic three-strikes legislation is an unwelcome return to a failed American-style approach to justice. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Environmental protection vital, not ‘onerous’The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...2 weeks ago
- Ferris – Three Strikes targets those ‘too brown to be white’The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Govt cuts doctors and nurses in hiring freezeCuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...3 weeks ago
- Fast-track submissions period must be extendedThe Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...3 weeks ago
- Release: Progress on climate will be undone by GovtNew Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...3 weeks ago
- NZ – European Union ties more critical than ever
Your Excellency Ambassador Meredith, Members of the Diplomatic Corps and Ambassadors from European Union Member States, Ministerial colleagues, Members of Parliament, and other distinguished guests, Thank you everyone for joining us. Ladies and gentlemen - In diplomacy, we often speak of ‘close’ and ‘long-standing’ relations. ...8 hours ago - Therapeutic Products Act to be repealedThe Therapeutic Products Act (TPA) will be repealed this year so that a better regime can be put in place to provide New Zealanders safe and timely access to medicines, medical devices and health products, Associate Health Minister Casey Costello announced today. “The medicines and products we are talking about ...11 hours ago
- Decisions on Wellington City Council’s District PlanThe Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop, today released his decision on twenty recommendations referred to him by the Wellington City Council relating to its Intensification Planning Instrument, after the Council rejected those recommendations of the Independent Hearings Panel and made alternative recommendations. “Wellington notified its District Plan on ...13 hours ago
- Rape Awareness Week: Government committed to action on sexual violenceRape Awareness Week (6-10 May) is an important opportunity to acknowledge the continued effort required by government and communities to ensure that all New Zealanders can live free from violence, say Ministers Karen Chhour and Louise Upston. “With 1 in 3 women and 1 in 8 men experiencing sexual violence ...14 hours ago
- Smarter lunch programme feeds more, costs lessAssociate Education Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government will be delivering a more efficient Healthy School Lunches Programme, saving taxpayers approximately $107 million a year compared to how Labour funded it, by embracing innovation and commercial expertise. “We are delivering on our commitment to treat taxpayers’ money ...15 hours ago
- Report provides insights into marine recoveryNew research on the impacts of extreme weather on coastal marine habitats in Tairāwhiti and Hawke’s Bay will help fishery managers plan for and respond to any future events, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. A report released today on research by Niwa on behalf of Fisheries New Zealand ...16 hours ago
- NZ to send political delegation to the PacificDeputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters will lead a broad political delegation on a five-stop Pacific tour next week to strengthen New Zealand’s engagement with the region. The delegation will visit Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, and Tuvalu. “New Zealand has deep and ...17 hours ago
- Low gas production threatens energy securityThere has been a material decline in gas production according to figures released today by the Gas Industry Co. Figures released by the Gas Industry Company show that there was a 12.5 per cent reduction in gas production during 2023, and a 27.8 per cent reduction in gas production in the ...21 hours ago
- Defence industry talent, commitment recognisedDefence Minister Judith Collins tonight announced the recipients of the Minister of Defence Awards of Excellence for Industry, saying they all contribute to New Zealanders’ security and wellbeing. “Congratulations to this year’s recipients, whose innovative products and services play a critical role in the delivery of New Zealand’s defence capabilities, ...1 day ago
- Speech to the Minister of Defence Awards of Excellence for IndustryWelcome to you all - it is a pleasure to be here this evening.I would like to start by thanking Greg Lowe, Chair of the New Zealand Defence Industry Advisory Council, for co-hosting this reception with me. This evening is about recognising businesses from across New Zealand and overseas who in ...1 day ago
- Speech to the Sixth Annual New Zealand Government Data SummitIt is a pleasure to be speaking to you as the Minister for Digitising Government. I would like to thank Akolade for the invitation to address this Summit, and to acknowledge the great effort you are making to grow New Zealand’s digital future. Today, we stand at the cusp of ...1 day ago
- Ceasefire agreement needed now: PetersNew Zealand is urging both Israel and Hamas to agree to an immediate ceasefire to avoid the further humanitarian catastrophe that military action in Rafah would unleash, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The immense suffering in Gaza cannot be allowed to worsen further. Both sides have a responsibility to ...2 days ago
- Daily school attendance data now availableA new online data dashboard released today as part of the Government’s school attendance action plan makes more timely daily attendance data available to the public and parents, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. The interactive dashboard will be updated once a week to show a national average of how ...2 days ago
- Ambassador to United States appointedForeign Minister Winston Peters has announced Rosemary Banks will be New Zealand’s next Ambassador to the United States of America. “Our relationship with the United States is crucial for New Zealand in strategic, security and economic terms,” Mr Peters says. “New Zealand and the United States have a ...2 days ago
- New permit proposed for recreational gold miningThe Government is considering creating a new tier of minerals permitting that will make it easier for hobby miners to prospect for gold. “New Zealand was built on gold, it’s in our DNA. Our gold deposits, particularly in regions such as Otago and the West Coast have always attracted fortune-hunters. ...2 days ago
- NZ and the UAE launch FTA negotiationsMinister for Trade Todd McClay today announced that New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will commence negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA). Minister McClay met with his counterpart UAE Trade Minister Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi in Dubai, where they announced the launch of negotiations on a ...2 days ago
- New Zealand Sign Language Week an opportunity for anyone to signNew Zealand Sign Language Week is an excellent opportunity for all Kiwis to give the language a go, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. This week (May 6 to 12) is New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) Week. The theme is “an Aotearoa where anyone can sign anywhere” and aims to ...2 days ago
- Next stop NASA for New Zealand studentsSix tertiary students have been selected to work on NASA projects in the US through a New Zealand Space Scholarship, Space Minister Judith Collins announced today. “This is a fantastic opportunity for these talented students. They will undertake internships at NASA’s Ames Research Center or its Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), where ...2 days ago
- $1.9 billion investment to keep NZ safe from crimeNew Zealanders will be safer because of a $1.9 billion investment in more frontline Corrections officers, more support for offenders to turn away from crime, and more prison capacity, Corrections Minister Mark Mitchell says. “Our Government said we would crack down on crime. We promised to restore law and order, ...2 days ago
- OECD reinforces need to control spendingThe OECD’s latest report on New Zealand reinforces the importance of bringing Government spending under control, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The OECD conducts country surveys every two years to review its members’ economic policies. The 2024 New Zealand survey was presented in Wellington today by OECD Chief Economist Clare Lombardelli. ...2 days ago
- Agreement delivers Local Water Done Well for AucklandThe Government has delivered on its election promise to provide a financially sustainable model for Auckland under its Local Water Done Well plan. The plan, which has been unanimously endorsed by Auckland Council’s Governing Body, will see Aucklanders avoid the previously projected 25.8 per cent water rates increases while retaining ...4 days ago
- Gaza and the Pacific on the agenda with GermanyForeign Minister Winston Peters discussed the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and enhanced cooperation in the Pacific with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during her first official visit to New Zealand today. "New Zealand and Germany enjoy shared interests and values, including the rule of law, democracy, respect for the international system ...5 days ago
- Decision allows for housing growth in Western Bay of PlentyThe Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop today released his decision on four recommendations referred to him by the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, opening the door to housing growth in the area. The Council’s Plan Change 92 allows more homes to be built in existing and new ...6 days ago
- Speech to New Zealand China CouncilThank you, John McKinnon and the New Zealand China Council for the invitation to speak to you today. Thank you too, all members of the China Council. Your effort has played an essential role in helping to build, shape, and grow a balanced and resilient relationship between our two ...6 days ago
- Modern insurance law will protect Kiwi householdsThe Government is modernising insurance law to better protect Kiwis and provide security in the event of a disaster, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly announced today. “These reforms are long overdue. New Zealand’s insurance law is complicated and dated, some of which is more than 100 years old. ...6 days ago
- Government recommits to equal payThe coalition Government is refreshing its approach to supporting pay equity claims as time-limited funding for the Pay Equity Taskforce comes to an end, Public Service Minister Nicola Willis says. “Three years ago, the then-government introduced changes to the Equal Pay Act to support pay equity bargaining. The changes were ...6 days ago
- Transforming how our children learn to readStructured literacy will change the way New Zealand children learn to read - improving achievement and setting students up for success, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “Being able to read and write is a fundamental life skill that too many young people are missing out on. Recent data shows that ...7 days ago
- NZ not backing down in Canada dairy disputeTrade Minister Todd McClay says Canada’s refusal to comply in full with a CPTPP trade dispute ruling in our favour over dairy trade is cynical and New Zealand has no intention of backing down. Mr McClay said he has asked for urgent legal advice in respect of our ‘next move’ ...7 days ago
- Stronger oversight for our most vulnerable childrenThe rights of our children and young people will be enhanced by changes the coalition Government will make to strengthen oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system, including restoring a single Children’s Commissioner. “The Government is committed to delivering better public services that care for our most at-risk young people and ...7 days ago
- Streamlining Building Consent ChangesThe Government is making it easier for minor changes to be made to a building consent so building a home is easier and more affordable, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on making it easier and cheaper to build homes so we can ...7 days ago
- Minister acknowledges passing of Sir Robert Martin (KNZM)New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. “Our Government’s thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...1 week ago
- Speech to New Zealand Institute of International Affairs, Parliament – Annual Lecture: Challenges ...Good evening – Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us. ...1 week ago
- Accelerating airport security linesFrom today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...1 week ago
- Community hui to talk about kina barrensPeople with an interest in the health of Northland’s marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...1 week ago
- Kiwi exporters win as NZ-EU FTA enters into forceKiwi exporters are $100 million better off today with the NZ EU FTA entering into force says Trade Minister Todd McClay. “This is all part of our plan to grow the economy. New Zealand's prosperity depends on international trade, making up 60 per cent of the country’s total economic activity. ...1 week ago
- Mining resurgence a welcome signThere are heartening signs that the extractive sector is once again becoming an attractive prospect for investors and a source of economic prosperity for New Zealand, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The beginnings of a resurgence in extractive industries are apparent in media reports of the sector in the past ...1 week ago
- Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill passes first readingThe return of the historic Ō-Rākau battle site to the descendants of those who fought there moved one step closer today with the first reading of Te Pire mō Ō-Rākau, Te Pae o Maumahara / The Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill. The Bill will entrust the 9.7-hectare battle site, five kilometres west ...1 week ago
- Government to boost public EV charging networkEnergy Minister Simeon Brown has announced 25 new high-speed EV charging hubs along key routes between major urban centres and outlined the Government’s plan to supercharge New Zealand’s EV infrastructure. The hubs will each have several chargers and be capable of charging at least four – and up to 10 ...1 week ago
- Residential Property Managers Bill to not progressThe coalition Government will not proceed with the previous Government’s plans to regulate residential property managers, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “I have written to the Chairperson of the Social Services and Community Committee to inform him that the Government does not intend to support the Residential Property Managers Bill ...1 week ago
- Independent review into disability support servicesThe Government has announced an independent review into the disability support system funded by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston says the review will look at what can be done to strengthen the long-term sustainability of Disability Support Services to provide disabled people and ...1 week ago
- Politics with Michelle Grattan: James Paterson on prospects for passage of the government’s deport...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Next week the government will again next try to get its legislation through to deal with non-citizens who won’t cooperate with efforts to deport them. The bill, which the opposition and crossbench refused to rush ...6 hours ago - NZCTU Launch Project To Set Out Alternative Vision For Aotearoa
A long-term project that will set out an alternative vision for Aotearoa that looks beyond the narrow confines of the policy straight jacket adopted by successive governments. ...8 hours ago - Yes, Australia’s big supermarkets have been price gouging. But fixing the problem won’t be easySource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bree Hurst, Associate Professor, Faculty of Business and Law, QUT, Queensland University of Technology TK Kurikawa/Shutterstock A much-awaited report into Coles and Woolworths has found what many customers have long believed – Australia’s big supermarkets engage in price gouging. What started ...8 hours ago
- The government wanted to avoid an inquiry into its deportation bill. Given the findings, it’s easy...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daniel Ghezelbash, Associate Professor and Deputy Director, Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law, UNSW Law & Justice, UNSW Sydney The Albanese government wanted to avoid an inquiry into its migration amendment bill. The report, handed down yesterday by a senate committee that ...8 hours ago
- Senate report on lobbying passes the buck on improving transparency or legislationSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Joo-Cheong Tham, Professor, Melbourne Law School, The University of Melbourne Lobbying is at the heart of government. Who has access to and influence over key government officials shapes the decisions governments make – and how they make them. The ability to influence ...8 hours ago
- Ngāti Toa rallies against Fast Track Approvals Bill
Iwi would not allow the government to degrade its whenua, moana or awa for the purpose of urban development, ministers were told. ...9 hours ago - Free school lunches: Labour MP apologises over 'offensive' Hamas tweet to SeymourDuncan Webb had queried if the ACT leader did not like hummus because it is too close to Hamas. ...9 hours ago
- Australia’s Eurovision entry this year is the first to sing in First Nations language: meet Electr...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Myfany Turpin, Associate Professor, Ethnomusicology, Linguistics and Ethnobiology, University of Sydney The act representing Australia at this year’s Eurovision contest has sadly not qualified for the grand final. Yet for Zaachariaha Fielding and Michael Ross, the duo that makes up Electric Fields, ...10 hours ago
- Labour claims win as govt commits to new free school lunches modelThe Labour Party is claiming a win for its campaign that the government commit to keeping and funding free school lunches. ...10 hours ago
- A definitive list of woke and non-woke foods
In announcing changes to the school lunches programme, David Seymour said kids would no longer be served ‘woke’ foods. To clear up any confusion, The Spinoff has compiled a guide to the wokeness levels of some common food items. Apple = NOT WOKE Avocado = WOKE Avocado, smashed = EVEN ...11 hours ago - Future of the planet more important than the Greens survival, former co-leader James Shaw saysFormer Green Party co-leader James Shaw calls out tribalism and hyper-partisanship - including in his own party. ...11 hours ago
- Fourth urgent inquiry by the Waitangi Tribunal, this time on Māori wardsThe Tribunal is conducting another urgent inquiry into plans to require councils to hold a binding referendum on Māori wards. ...12 hours ago
- NCSC Briefs IPAC Representatives On Response To Malicious Cyber ActivityThe Minister Responsible for GCSB and the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security have been notified of this review, and have been provided a finalised Terms of Reference. ...12 hours ago
- How is China being taught at Australian universities? And why does this matter? Here’s what our re...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Minglu Chen, Senior Lecturer, Government and International Relations, University of Sydney Robert Way/Shutterstock As the past few years have illustrated so clearly, the Australia-China relationship is complicated. As such, it is crucial for Australians to develop a more nuanced understanding of ...12 hours ago
- Saving the Mary River turtle: how the people of Tiaro rallied behind an iconic speciesSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mariana Campbell, Research Lecturer, Conservation, Charles Darwin University Marilyn Connell Australian freshwater turtles are facing an alarming trend. Almost half of these species are listed as vulnerable, endangered or critically endangered. The Mary River turtle (Elusor macrurus) is one of Australia’s ...12 hours ago
- Why are algorithms called algorithms? A brief history of the Persian polymath you’ve likely never ...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Debbie Passey, Digital Health Research Fellow, The University of Melbourne Algorithms have become integral to our lives. From social media apps to Netflix, algorithms learn your preferences and prioritise the content you are shown. Google Maps and artificial intelligence are nothing without ...12 hours ago
- Neuroaffirming care values the strengths and differences of autistic people, those with ADHD or othe...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Josephine Barbaro, Associate Professor, Principal Research Fellow, Psychologist, La Trobe University Unsplash We’ve come a long way in terms of understanding that everyone thinks, interacts and experiences the world differently. In the past, autistic people, people with attention deficit hyperactive disorder ...12 hours ago
- ‘Reckless’ kina devaluation spells disaster for PNG, says NomanePNG Post-Courier Papua New Guinea’s deputy opposition leader James Nomane has accused the government of “reckless economic management” that has forced devaluation to manage loan repayments in foreign currency and placate the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Prime Minister James Marape “must stop lying to the people of Papua New Guinea”, ...12 hours ago
- Modernising Census – Stats NZFrom today, members of the public can have their say on what Aotearoa New Zealand’s census could look like in the future. ...12 hours ago
- ‘I do love a good funnysad novel’: Jane Arthur on her favourite booksWelcome to The Spinoff Bookseller Confessional, in which we get to know Aotearoa’s booksellers. This week: Jane Arthur, author of Brown Bird, and former bookseller at Good Books. The book I wish I’d written I have been working on not comparing myself to others. On accepting that what I can ...12 hours ago
- RMA Minister rejects Wellington council's bid to remove heritage protections from buildingsCouncil did not provide sufficient evidence to support its reasons for removing the 10 buildings from the Heritage schedule, Chris Bishop says. ...13 hours ago
- War for Wellington: Minister approves sweeping upzoning, rejects heritage changesThe final decision on the Wellington District Plan makes it official: High-density housing is legal across most of Wellington. Housing minister Chris Bishop has announced his decision on the Wellington District Plan, approving a series of amendments to radically upzone most of Wellington, allowing tens of thousands of new townhouses ...13 hours ago
- Bryce Edwards Analysis – Following the political moneyAnalysis by Dr Bryce Edwards – Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz) Political scientist, Dr Bryce Edwards. “Follow the money” is the classic directive to journalists trying to understand where power and influence lie in society. In terms of uncovering who influences various New Zealand political parties and governments, it therefore pays to ...14 hours ago
- Free school lunches: Year 7 students and above to shift to alternative modelA new interim delivery model will kick in next year to allow time for a full redesign of the scheme before any more money is dedicated. ...14 hours ago
- Rafah ‘last place of safety’ in Gaza, UN aid boss warnsRNZ News As Israel presses ahead with strikes in Rafah and seizing the Rafah crossing from Egypt, aid agencies are sounding the alarm of a “catastrophic humanitarian situation”. Rafah was “significant” because it was the only part in Gaza that had not been terribly damaged by the conflict, United Nations ...14 hours ago
- Foreign Affairs minister to lead Pacific delegationThe Foreign Affairs minister is heading on a five-stop Pacific tour, which he says will strengthen New Zealand's engagement in the region. ...14 hours ago
- Why we’re fighting to save Te Huia, the Hamilton-Auckland trainWith funding set to be scrapped for the Hamilton-Auckland commuter train, Te Huia enthusiast Georgie Dansey argues for it to be thrown a lifeline. It’s 5.45am and the chain of my crappy old bike falls off slugging up the one hill in Hamilton. I contemplate yeeting the bike into the ...14 hours ago
- Greens Call On Government To Keep Same-day Election Enrolment And VotingOn Radio New Zealand this morning, the Justice Minister stated the Government was considering ending election day enrolments. ...14 hours ago
- Many people are feeling ecological grief. How can we help those whose work puts them at risk?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anna Cooke, Honorary Fellow, School of the Environment, The University of Queensland We feel ecological grief when we lose places, species or ecosystems we value and love. These losses are a growing threat to mental health and wellbeing globally. We all see ...15 hours ago
- Revitalizing Toronto’s downtown core after COVID-19 greatly benefits the city and the regionSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Shauna Brail, Associate Professor, Institute for Management & Innovation, University of Toronto A shift to hybrid and remote work continues to affect worker presence in Toronto’s downtown. (Shutterstock) Downtown Toronto, the core of Canada’s largest city, continues to reel from the lingering ...15 hours ago
- Government quiet on costs, building plan for Waikato prison expansionThe extra beds would take longer than the four-years covered in this week's budget announcement to deliver, the Corrections Minister told RNZ. ...15 hours ago
- Chief Electoral Officer Needs To Fall On His SwordResponding to an Auditor-General's report slamming failures in the administration of the 2023 General Election, Taxpayers’ Union Policy and Public Affairs Manager, James Ross, said: ...16 hours ago
- How many productivity apps do I have to use to become more productive?Productivity apps now make up a big chunk of the software market. But do they work? And why do they all have AI integrations? Despite being firmly on the record as a physical planner fan, I sometimes dream of something better than my pretty diary and its scrawled, ugly, interior ...16 hours ago
- Government considers removing election day voter enrolmentJustice Minister Paul Goldsmith says very few countries allow it, and New Zealand should consider changing the rules. ...16 hours ago
- Beehive Need To Lead By ExampleThe Taxpayers’ Union says the Beehive need to lead by example, following reports of more than $50,000 spent upgrading video conferencing equipment and furniture in the Prime Minister’s office. Taxpayers’ Union Campaign Manager, Connor Molloy, ...17 hours ago
- The Spinoff Power List: 50 New Zealanders you need to knowAn objective list of the 50 most powerful people in New Zealand, as judged by the Spinoff Editorial Board. It’s power list season, baby, and we want in on the action. Sure, there’s the rich list and the powerful “c-suite” list and the young people with power (hmmm) but here, ...17 hours ago
- First Nations imprisonment is already at a record high. Unless government policy changes, it will on...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Thalia Anthony, Professor of Law, University of Technology Sydney Shutterstock This article contains information on deaths in custody and the names of deceased people, and describes ongoing colonial violence towards Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. First Nations people in Australia ...18 hours ago
- Martha isn’t Baby Reindeer’s biggest villain. So why is she painted as such?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alex Simpson, Senior Lecturer in Criminology, Macquarie University Netflix Baby Reindeer’s phenomenal success has much to do with its writer and lead, Richard Gadd, who plays Donny in a tender semi-autobiographical account of sexual abuse, harassment and stalking. Gadd’s story has ...18 hours ago
- Yes, adults can develop food allergies. Here are 4 types you need to know aboutSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Clare Collins, Laureate Professor in Nutrition and Dietetics, University of Newcastle KarolinaGrabowska/Pexels If you didn’t have food allergies as a child, is it possible to develop them as an adult? The short answer is yes. But the reasons why are much ...18 hours ago
- An outsider on the inside: how Ans Westra created New Zealand’s ‘national photo album’Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Paul Moon, Professor of History, Auckland University of Technology Ans Westra, self-portrait, c. 1963. National Library ref AWM-0705-F They try but invariably fail – those writers who believe they are capable of encapsulating in prose or verse the essence of ...19 hours ago
- How the lessons from Covid-19 could help us prepare for bird fluStewart Sowman-Lund looks at the growing concern around the world in this extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. What’s all this? When Covid-19 arrived on our shores in early 2020, some argued we were too slow, or crucially, ill-prepared for a pandemic. So ...19 hours ago
- As climate change amplifies urban flooding, here’s how communities can become ‘sponge cities’Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Franco Montalto, Professor of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering and Director, Sustainable Water Resource Engineering Laboratory, Drexel University Water runs into a storm drain in a Los Angeles alley on Aug. 19, 2023, during Tropical Storm Hilary. Citizen of the Planet/Universal Images ...20 hours ago
- Genesis Energy to fire up coal imports, citing increased demand, dwindling gas supplyGenesis Energy is to resume importing coal, as reduced gas supplies and increased demand add to the problems of keeping the lights on. ...20 hours ago
- The Boy in the Water: ‘Someone was struggling at a fence’
The inquest into the death of Gore toddler Lachlan Jones has turned up a new witness who says he saw two teenagers and a small child in a high vis vest in the area where the boy’s body was found the day he died. Lachie’s body was discovered face up ...20 hours ago - Te Pāti Māori comments: 'That kind of language isn't helpful'Political parties have roundly criticised Te Pāti Māori for using words like 'extermination' and 'white supremacy' in the House. ...21 hours ago
- Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey sought advice on ‘social impact bonds’ to fund servicesMinisters have sought advice on 'social impact bonds', which offer a potential return on private investment in public services. ...21 hours ago
- Managed retreat: How do we get out of the way of climate change?"Ad hoc" house buyouts after major disasters cannot continue, the Climate Change Minister says. ...21 hours ago
- Rules for property managers are scrapped. But what’s the worst that could happen?Stories from the tenancy trenches, featuring spider infestations, cupboard rats and same-sex discrimination. Lucy’s brother was living in a damp 1930s building in Mt Eden where “he had to tie the cupboard doors closed so the rats didn’t get in”. Although he shared custody of his six-year-old son, his property ...21 hours ago
- Explainer: What’s the deal with Auckland’s new water deal?Simeon Brown, Chris Luxon, and Wayne Brown climbed into a hole and announced a plan to solve Auckland’s water woes. This is how it’ll work. New Zealand’s pipes are munted. They’re cracked and leaking, and struggling to handle all the extra poos excreted by our rising population. It’s a big, ...21 hours ago
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Surely those with even half a brain, have either already deleted their Twitter account, or are seriously considering doing so.
What an oaf Mr Musk has turned out to be–spring loaded revenge sackings at Twitter, and a union buster in his own businesses. Monopoly capitalist ownership of media demonstrates an adage from analogue days–“the freedom of the press belongs to those that own one…”
I haven't deleted it, but I certainly don't notice it.
For the last few years the twitter composite e-mails about tweets have been my main contact – and they have their own special folder that go into automatically (along with facebook and medium come-ons). They just clog my mailbox otherwise.
I go into them for a quick scan when I have dead time. That is usually in the middle of the night when I wake up and need an anodyne flare of people saying nothing much of interest to put me to sleep.
I didn't even realise that twitter has advertising – because I just ignore that.
I have also found that google discover (which is on within chrome on the cellphone) is a lot better at finding articles that I might want to read.
Twitter has been a cesspit for as long as I can remember.
People from every side of the political spectrum go on there and abuse each other all day every day. People that think it has (or has ever had) any value need their heads read.
It got alot worse as soon as Elon stated he wanted to buy twitter which speaks volumes about Musks' perceived values out there.
Much like Rupert, it's all about the power of the platform as it never appeared smart financially (non profitable, full of debt) and probably why he's got the Saudi's with a strategic stake using their dark deep pockets.
IMO Twitter can and probably will be replaced mickey, like mySpace was. Plenty of gifted engineers no longer at Zuck central etc sitting on the wealth their share options made for them feeling bad about the monsters they helped create. Funding would be the biggest challenge.
People from every side of the political spectrum go on there and abuse each other all day every day.
Meh. Not that different to an average day here.
The comedy and creative arts scene has a vibrant and thriving Twitter community.
Sports twitter has a wonderful mixture of intense fandom, incredible analytical thinking, and archival footage from bygone eras.
Yes, I'd agree overall. Some Twitter threads have been very funny, in fact non-political Twitter can be a gem.
I'd miss that.
It is as good as the people you follow. Some brilliant people; some arseholes. Best human search engine I have ever been lucky enough to find.
What will topple it is not the ethical/advertising tightrope but the cocky overlord firing all the engineers who keep it running.
I have never had a Twitter account and never will.
I think I saw the train wreck in a vision and stayed off the tracks completely.
Good move. It does seem like a huge time waster
Twitter & Facebook. Always stayed away. In hindsight a good decision.
Same here for all intents and purposes.
The moment Musk completed the purchase of Twitter, I ceased to comment on the platform!
'One small step for mankind . . ."
What I find Twitter useful for is as a source of immediate information on topics I am interested in.
The downside is that the information also has to be taken with a large grain of salt as it hasn't been fact-checked or verified. However, with that in mind, I still find it useful.
I try and stay away from the abusive stuff as that is not my style, and not something I enjoy.
Nothing will happen. No more then when myspace died, or when Facebook will die, or when Linkedin will die. People will move to a different service. Rinse repeat.
If twitter dies Elon Musk loses 44 billion dollars, so there is that to look forward to.
Does he ? or do bankers and others as rarely do the billionaires tip their own cash in.
One financial commentator, and he's not alone was puzzled how Elon made it work as he reckons Tesla's 80% pixie dust it's soooo overvalued. Interesting times.
He loses Tesla. And some non-US backers lose a few billion between them.
Yeah Elon could lose Tesla, he's loaded a pile of debt on to Twitter but he also tied up heaps of his Tesla shares with the transaction. There's a reason he tried to back out of his crazy overvalued offer.
The previous owners evidently had some faith that their trajectory would become profitable in time, given the high engagement & celebrity involvement. But attempts to monetise all that activity have proven elusive. Elon has taken away any semblance of a carefully planned business model
Perhaps he thought he could cut costs with no consequence, and find revenue by magic as he has done with his government funded ventures (scams) in the past.
Perhaps he thought he could use Twitter as a huge marketing channel for his own crypto schemes, or pump & dump the shares.
Turns out the "titan of business", "10x engineer", "billionaire playboy genius" is just another shabby amoral opportunist, who tripped over his own hubris.
No way. He'll make any loss into a gain for himself, just watch. The deck is stacked, all his 'investments' are completely risk-free for him. Depressing, but you'll see.
As someone whose main priority politically is regulating and breaking up big tech and ending data mining…isn't it glorious.
Meta lost 70% of it's stock value. Compared to twitters 200 million global users there are 2 billion Facebook users plus a billion IG users. Plus Whatsapp and oculus. Mass lay offs coming.
Amazon, Tesla, Twitter , Google stocks all in the absolute crapper and the BEAUTIFUL thing is because these billionaires refuse to pay tax their money is all in company stock so when company stock crashes so does their net worths. I <3 it
Social media was a mistake. Algorithms have turned every aspect of life has become ugly and hateful, not just politics, rivalries between fans of sports teams, musicians, movie franchises book series it's all gone to the sewer.
These companies have put billions of people in our own individual dimensions where our prejudices and bias are reinforced to the point everyone we disagree with is an enemy.
My generation doesn't know much of what society was like pre social so much of it genuinely sees disagreement and political debate no matter how polite as a form of hate speech.
If these stocks continue to crash and these companies go under…. Good. As long as TikTok owned by the Chinese (and banned in their country for a reason) is banned , maybe people can connect again and learn to agree to disagree on some issues.
Social media radicalizes people. Everyone on it gets radicalized in some way. Its algorithms are designed to upset you and make you feel worthless while reinforcing your bias so you think everyone agrees with you.
Social media going may just save the world, not to mention big tech and crypto are worse for the environment than big oil due to their server farms.
"…Social media was a mistake…"
Not so sure of Social Media is a mistake. However, giving control of it to the sociopathic crypto-fascist techno-libertarians who own the globalised corporations defintely is.
Properly regulated social media should be an absolute boon for society – like it was in it's infancy, when it brought people together.
"Properly regulated social media should be an absolute boon for society"
Ah! ….. but exactly whom or what will "properly" regulate?
A Left or Right wing Government appointed 'regulator' ….. or perhaps a UN Agency?
We've never had issues as a society in the past with the principle that the government has a right to regulation of content, be it the chief censor or statutory media regulation bodies.
Personally I would like to see social media companies treated like any other publishers and subject to the same libel and criminal laws as the traditional print and broadcast media. They are responsible for their content – see how quickly a few big libel payouts would change their behaviour.
A basic problem arises in that Social Media is Trans National and very mobile/nimble which evades individual Government reach and very difficult to subject to constrained local legislation.
Only Trans National entities could regulate … but do not have the power or reach to effectively do so in a comprehensive manner. There would be veto in there somewhere!
+100
and together the people came….hunched over their screens in silent rooms……
I must have missed that period. However I only really started with jumping on BBSes with dialup followed by usenet.
Umm plus playing multi-user star trek on VT100s in Waikato's DEC 1170 back in 1979/1980 in the middle of the night. The chat dialog was full of surprised and spontaneous comments as someone would come out of warp with front-screens on full and ram me.
Facebook was enormous fun when it started, that is why it exploded. QED.
I was rather blasé about facebook myself. Been there and done it on usenet and previous systems.
It was kind of fun seeing the non-tech family and acquaintances coming online. It also reminded me about just how damn sensitive and outright lazy most people really are when challenged on their beliefs and opinions. Plus how little they had actually thought about the implications of their touted solutions and grizzles themselves.
Twitter just felt like the dick comparison advertising forum by smart arses. A deft implied slander substituting for intelligence.
Never got into it because, especially with the original short text, most participants never really got into the habit of explaining why I should click on their reference links.
Twitter is like a garden, it can be pleasant and full of goodness when used well, but utter garbage if not curated and sifted over time.
There are some brilliant people on there, but (per the 80:20 rule) also a surplus of trolls, fools and scammers.
I will miss it, but it will be replaced with something else soon enough. You see, the platform isn't the participants. It just enables them. I have been, like many others, flirting with Mastodon. It's quiet, but I hope it picks up.
Why aren't there more social democrats running big tech?
There is nothing inherently politically regressive about social media.
On the contrary as Habermas implied it could be communicative utopia.
Pretty weird after massive security bot breaches before US elections that such speech isn't Broadcast Commission regulated.
Until social media is broadcast-regulated the pitiful instability is going to get worse and worse.
How many social democrats have the capital to purchase overvalued big tech companies? How many social democrats own traditional media?
The model of private ownership over public services will always result in capitalist accumulation.
Wayy to simplistic and in the US historically wrong.
Plenty of Democrat Superpacs are in the media.
But no doubt we are being outplayed.
US Democrats =/= social democrats
Super PACs do not own media outlets. They buy media time.
https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/10-years-super-pacs-show-courts-were-wrong-corruption-risks
Super PACs are the very capitalist accumulation that any social democrat should oppose.
You don't win without them.
Not saying they brim full of Marxists.
ethics.
This seems legit. Kathy Griffin just got banned for impersonating Musk, claiming that he was a friend of Ghislaine Maxwell.
Griffin is an alleged comedian whose idea of a joke is holding the severed head of Trump in her hands.
Screenshot or you pulled that out of your clacker.
btw, some photo bomb.
/
According to a Vanity Fair staff member at the time who stood next to Ms. Maxwell and Mr. Musk and shared contemporaneous notes with The Times, the pair chatted.
https://archive.ph/W2Odx#selection-499.0-499.161 (nyt)
It was on a PJW video but I won't share the link in case it upsets anyone's feelings.
Anyway, my point is that she clearly violated the terms of service, as did several of these so-called "comedians" who are about as funny to me as a bowl of cat sick
By the way, “the pair chatted”, oh my gosh that’s terrible
For the record, I'm no Musk fanboy
So you pulled it out of your arse.
/
Learn to laugh mate, you wound up like a spring.
There was no blue tick, so what the hell is the problem – it was so obviously a fake account. I would have thought that the tweets not sounding bat shit crazy, was another dead give away.
As for the fake head in the photo, the problem was those who took it way to seriously. Hell any guy with this record on sexual misconduct needs the piss taken out of them. If not that head, his other head (fake as well) cut off would be funny as all hell.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Trump_sexual_misconduct_allegations
Don't worry I'm all laughs, especially at Griffins latest escapade.
https://www.dailywire.com/news/kathy-griffin-logs-back-into-twitter-to-defend-herself-using-her-dead-mothers-account-report
That's funny.
Musky has been outed, it has nothing to do with free speech, just the usual – greed.
#FreeKathy
https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/11/07/trump-once-reconsidered-sticking-with-truth-social-now-hes-stuck/
Chump must be used to ventures associated with him collapsing by now. Bankrupting a casino takes quite the leet skills.
Another day, another scam.
https://twitter.com/kurteichenwald/status/1569884115713019904
https://www.sfgate.com/politics/article/marjorie-taylor-greene-trump-investment-17531480.php
Investors have pulled almost $140 million in commitments to a "blank-check" company planning a merger with the parent company of Donald Trump's Truth Social forum, the latest stumbling block for the proposed deal.
Digital World Acquisition Corp., a so-called special-purpose acquisition company, said in a regulatory filing on Friday that unnamed investors have sent "termination notices" representing about $138.5 million of $1 billion in commitments to the merged entities.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/dwac-investors-pulling-out-of-truth-social-merger/
Meanwhile, as Twitter users fiddle with their pronouns, the US war machine pumps money and arms into Ukraine and Haiti and thousands die
As long as lots more Russian soldiers than Ukrainian ones are dying I am pleased to see the US war machine doing some good for a change.
I'm not happy about the US war machine killing anyone.
But I guess we're heading off topic.
”As long as lots more Russian soldiers than Ukrainian ones are dying“
During Bush War One, Bill Hicks quipped he was for the war but against the soldiers.
His motive for saying it was comedy…
What a damnable waste of human potential. Putin is destroying Russia's future. It was already in demographic free-fall.
The illusion of Russia being a modern G8 nation was founded on oil & gas. Now it's gone up in smoke
Just imagine if they could load those extra letters onto a transport or load them into artillery!
Give ‘em L sergeant! Mind the Ps and Qs private! E’s a good egg, captain!
How can twitter be on its deathbed when it has like 230 million daily active users?
Musk's purchase has loaded the company up with so much debt that the interest servicing cost alone exceeds ad revenues. The immediate risk is not that the user base evaporates, but that there is no money to keep the servers going, the staff paid, and the lights on.
Genuine question: how has Musk's purchase loaded the company with extra debt?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leveraged_buyout
And now he's backpedaling…
https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1589730392420278272
Twitter pre-Musk wasn't exactly impartial was it?
Asking "What happens if Twitter dies?" is like asking what happens when Trump wins the Presidential election.
If Twitter dies other platforms will happen. If there is money to be made it will happen.
The bit about Trump? One thing for sure, they'll all be lining up for pardons and clemency.
All the legal wranglings Trump himself is involved in will come to nought as he'll block, overturn or stretch out anything against him. The only hope is that a bit of 'fast track' happens miraculously. Imagine him holding one of his massive rallies in jail!
The former owner swings by and picks over the bones for anything useful?
Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey might have something for you – Bluesky Social, a new “decentralized social network” that reportedly aims to reclaim user data. Dorsey stepped down as CEO of the social network he co-founded in 2006 in May 2022.
https://www.geekmetaverse.com/jack-dorsey-unveils-bluesky-social-the-decentralized-twitter/
"Bluesky", is so abstract that there is no actual network yet, just a pile of theoretical protocols. @Jack is more interested in his crypto crap nowadays.
I'm suspicious of 'free speech' warriors on the right. Mostly what interests them is maintaining the cultural and political dominance of the sort of speech they prefer. They become particularly enraged when their formerly hegemonic opinions start to experience some minor nibbling away at the edges. This minor nibbling is reviled as 'political correctness gone mad'.
I mean we could be watching what the history books may be allowed to call a stage of American fascism. There is a concerted attack on the essential mechanics of a democratic state. The former president asked people to ‘find’ votes for him. Many of those who were not inclined to do that have been hounded out of their jobs. We’ve got thousands of election deniers getting jobs at a low level right through all levels of the system. We had the army turned out for a presidential photo op under the last presidency. The judiciary has had a concerted effort to flood their ranks with one side of politics. There’s a sympathy for dictators in Russia who push white nationalism and an anti-women, anti-sexual diversity ideas and elsewhere over democratic allies.
We see the Supreme Court has been pushed away from the people’s polled opinions. They may not be a sufficient check on executive and legislative power. The wife of a long serving justice was in contact with the president’s chief of staff trying to push a coup det’at. It didn’t succeed, so they’re improving on it at every point. Plus a considerable number of people in the US believe there will be another civil war and have been arming themselves accordingly.
So yeh that’s where your free speeches come from – or maybe as someone said it’s the final sulk of a fading power base and it’ll pass as every election there’s a panic about something. But it does rather feel like the culmination of decades of ‘conservative’ organising in many areas.
" extreme views of the right of free speech"…you do understand that in most democratic countries including the USA, speech is is well covered in law…so hate/racist speech etc could and should be easily be moderated by those existing guidelines…what we don't need is extra, often murky layers on top of those laws (which is exactly what is happening)..especially when they are implemented by unelected boards on what is in effect are public forums.
But the problem is that since the end of the cold war the West has allowed itself to be persuaded by neo-liberal politicians and self-serving libertarian technology billionaires that we've always had an absolutist right to unfettered free speech – something that was carefully (if informally) controlled when western capitalists lived in mortal fear of the spread of the contagion of Soviet & Chinese communism.
Since the collapse of communism the liberal democracies have essentially complacently allowed globalised and completely unregulated free speech, something quickly identified as an obvious weakness and massive propaganda opportunity by the weak, fearful and reactionary Russian successor state as a way to wage undeclared asymentric warfare and exploited to the max by Putin's troll farms (and all the rest). The result – Trumpism, the alternative facts news ecosystem of the US right, the rise of right wing populist culture war polticians – has been massively exacerbated by the parallel atomisation of society and celebration of narcissistic hyper-individualism.
Any attmept now by nation states to put the genie back in the bottom has to contend with a phalanx of porn addicted fan bois worroed about losing access to pornhub, techo-libertarians, billionaire Randian fanatics, trolls of every description and well funded lobbyists. hence, short of an emergency like a war politcians are only glacially moving toward formal regulation using both existing and potentially new mechanisms.
Sanctury…you are so far down the rabbit hole that even the weasels won't be able to touch you….for what ever reason you seem determined to ignore the plain that by far the largest and most significant misinformation/disinformation on the planet comes from the West and Western allies…unfortunately now led in large part by once was considered Liberal media, now nothing more than mouthpeices for Western neo-imperialism.
Researchers Find Massive Anti-Russian ‘Bot Army’
"An Australian university has unearthed millions of Tweets by fake accounts pushing disinformation on the Ukraine war, Peter Cronau reports. The sample size dwarfs other studies of covert propaganda about the war on social media."
"By aggregating account groups we find significant information flows from bot-like accounts to non-bot accounts with behaviour differing between sides. Pro-Russian non-bot accounts are most influential overall, with information flows to a variety of other account groups. No significant outward flows exist from pro-Ukrainian non-bot accounts, with significant flows from pro-Ukrainian bot accounts into pro-Ukrainian non-bot accounts."
Adrian I think you are spot on here. We are not being told the truth about Ukraine in the MSM. Jeffrey Sachs just did an interview with Russell Brand on this very topic
That is the dark side of social media. But it also has huge potential to enhance democracy and call the powerful to account.
Twitter and similar platforms give a voice to the voiceless, per the Arab Spring and other pro-democracy movements in places like China.
This is why Musk's takeover of Twitter just in time for the US midterms is highly suspect. The people he fired were responsible for keeping the platform relatively open and free of the worst speech (Trump)
Since he took over the company, he has already fired half of the staff and announced several changes, the most controversial being the one that will make us pay $8 a month to keep or put blue verification on our profile, a relevant change, since unverified accounts will lose visibility.
If Twitter dies:
– a handful of less-clever-than-they-thought politicos will avoid trashing their careers
– third rate journalistic hacks will need to find some other grounds for their reckons
– a tiny proportion of the VRWC will find itself briefly unmusked
"unmusked" love this truly clever pun….
I still have a twitter account. Musk is an uber fuckwit with a massive ego whose doing a lot of damage to the world, but are any of the big tech companies run by anyone else?
I'm enjoying Mastodon. Different structure, different culture, more ethics in both. More conversational than confrontational. If you're in NZ join mastodon.nz if you want to follow the NZ accounts and content.
Yesterday I applied for a login at the techy server, mastodon.nzoss.nz, but haven't gotten an email yet. How long did the signup for mastodon.nz take?
Not sure for the ones you have to request access. Afaik the others are instant. I’ve had an account at .nz since earlier in the year and remember
Just seen .nz is currently on manual approvals too because of the influx
An uber fuckwit who is the richest man in the world, made the coolest EV and got SpaceX going. I'm no man of the man but your description does seem a little, erm, harsh, shall we say?
I don't count richest man in the world as an accolade. Re SpaceX, this is the man who thinks we can put earth species on Mars to save them, as if ecosystems don't exist or have a right to live. His approach isn't about doing right by life here, it's about what toys does he get to play with irrespective of the damage done.
re EVs, Musk could have done something truly cool and put his efforts into transitioning to public transport as the main focus. EVs won't save the day, we're long past that point, (might have worked if we'd taken climate seriously in the 80s and had the time to transition to renewables).
The emphasis on EVs rather than sustainability epitomises what happens when we let rich men run things. He's there to make money and his own self gratification. Tesla is not green, more like brown tech.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticism_of_Tesla,_Inc.#Environmental_practices
https://twitter.com/wekatweets/status/1589802406434738176
Yes that's pretty much my view too in terms of the green tech bit.
EVs are a con in general terms,
Still, he is very clever at grifting money out of the US tax system
the question is why we let these kinds of clever men have the power they do.
Great question
Meet Musk, technocratic huckster (video in link)
https://www.corbettreport.com/musk/
Nope he did not found tesla, he brought it.
As for spacex, Branson did the same with Virgin Galactic https://www.virgingalactic.com/ , so really BFW to that.
All the stories are coming out now, you can't fire half of your staff in 1 week and still have a functioning company. The feed algorithm doesn't seem to be surfacing stuff like it used to — much more repetitive. There is a huge drop in the number of ads. It is only a matter of time before systems that require maintenance will crap out because the people that owned them have left. RIP twitterverse.
I really enjoyed it – the rough and tumble of random discussions – the ability to express yourself honestly – the immediacy of being able to ratio politicians/ flunkies and their PR crap.
I followed some major themes: Politics, Science, Religion, Philosophy, Photography, Economics, Tech Gossip, Tolkien, Culture … and learned a lot.
It takes a while (months/years) to curate an interesting variety of accounts to follow and keep it fresh. But the most important tool for quality of life is block/mute/unfollow. "Do not feed the trolls" is a truism as old as Usenet. There are infinite bad takes out there, most of them are not worth engaging. Like anything, your personal wellbeing and boundaries should be of primary concern.
I've blocked and reported dozens of gross & hateful accounts. It can be a real sewer. Probably written a few toxic tweets myself but I try to stay positive mostly.
I can't recall the exact amount but Twitter is a company losing several million a week.
I'm not sure how this qualifies as a "functioning company" by anyone's standards.
In the early days, maybe by projecting on future growth, but Twitter has been around for a long time
heh
https://twitter.com/andreamatranga/status/1589631553214513152
A bit of a taste of what's going on over there
https://twitter.com/courtneynash/status/1589765368914272256?s=20&t=bRSrYgTaH94wkJt98sgsnA
https://twitter.com/stevekrenzel/status/1589700721121058817?s=20&t=bRSrYgTaH94wkJt98sgsnA
And there's this absolutely searing article on Webworm by Hayden Donnell
https://twitter.com/antonystarr/status/1589319021966462976?s=20&t=bRSrYgTaH94wkJt98sgsnA
Otoh, some days twitter is good.
https://twitter.com/bronactitley/status/1589249579190394880
Wholesome Twitter is the best.
https://twitter.com/jonslater37/status/1587759030172372995?s=20&t=l5bXNNi1XK_hmUWVWdajJA
I can't cheer about that pic. Eating pizzas is highly unlikely to be good for cockatoos or most (if not all) other bird species.
not to mention humans.
By Christmas it'll be Musk, assorted wingnuts, nazis, and a weird troupe of Muskateers.
https://twitter.com/CaseyNewton/status/1589797015780982786
If/when Twitter dies – the world as we know it will not end.
Perhaps a lot of people might get a life.
The biggest problem with Twitter is that almost any idea (as opposed to reckons and throwaway opinions like this one) that can be expressed in 280 characters or fewer probably isn't worth expressing anyway.