Elon Musk threatens to boot Twitter account impersonators
Boston (AP): Elon Musk tweeted Sunday that Twitter will permanently suspend any account on the social media platform that impersonates another.
The platform's new owner issued the warning after some celebrities changed their Twitter display names not their account names and tweeted as Elon Musk' in reaction to the billionaire's decision to offer verified accounts to all comers for 8 month.
Going forward, any Twitter handles engaging in impersonation without clearly specifying parody will be permanently suspended, Musk wrote. While Twitter previously issued warnings before suspensions, now that it is rolling out widespread verification, there will be no warning.
In fact, any name change at all would compel the temporary loss of a verified checkmark, the world's richest man said.
Comedian Kathy Griffin had her account suspended Sunday for switching her screen name to Musk.
Actress Valerie Bertinelli had done the same posting a series of tweets in support of Democratic candidates on Saturday before switching back to her true name. Okey-dokey. I've had fun and I think I made my point, she tweeted afterwards.
Before the stunt, Bertinelli noted the original purpose of the blue verification checkmark. It was granted free of charge to people whose identity Twitter employees had confirmed; with journalists accounting for a big portion of recipients. It simply meant your identity was verified. Scammers would have a harder time impersonating you, Bertinelli noted.
That no longer applies. Good luck out there! she added.
The 8 verified accounts are Musk's way of democratizing the service, he claims. On Saturday, a Twitter update for iOS devices listed on Apple's app store said users who sign up now for the new Twitter Blue with verification can get the blue check next to their names just like the celebrities, companies and politicians you already follow.
It said the service would first be available in the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the U.K. However, it was not available Sunday and there was no indication when it would roll go live. A Twitter employ, Esther Crawford, told The Associated Press it is coming soon but it hasn't launched yet.
Twitter did not respond on Sunday to an email seeking comment.
If the company were to strip current verified users of blue checks something that hasn't happened that could exacerbate disinformation on the platform during Tuesday's midterm elections.
Some Twitter users have already begun migrating from the platform to alternatives such as Mastodon and Counter Social following layoffs that began Friday that reportedly affected about half of Twitter's 7,500-employee workforce. They fear a breakdown of moderation and verification could create a disinformation free-for-all on what has been the internet's main conduit for reliable communications from public agencies and other institutions.
Many companies have paused advertising on the platform out of concern it could become more unruly under Musk.
Yoel Roth, Twitter's head of safety and integrity, sought to assuage such concerns in a tweet Friday. He said the company's front-line content moderation staff was the group least affected by the job cuts.
Musk tweeted late Friday that there was no choice but to cut jobs when the company is losing over 4M/day. He did not provide details on the daily losses at Twitter and said employees who lost their jobs were offered three months' pay as severance.
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Karnataka leads in AI: Minister Priyank Kharge at Impact Summit
Bengaluru (PTI): Minister Priyank Kharge on Wednesday highlighted the state’s leadership in AI and deep technology while engaging with global industry leaders and startups at a four-day summit held in New Delhi, officials said.
During the event, Priyank witnessed the signing of a strategic MoU between H Company and St John’s Medical College & Research Institute, Bengaluru, to pilot advanced enterprise AI for hospital operations and workflow automation, strengthening responsible AI in healthcare, the minister’s office said in a statement here.
Speaking on the sidelines of the India AI Impact Summit, the minister said Karnataka is ahead of the curve in AI.
“We are already home to leading global AI players such as Harvey AI and Anthropic, and The Walt Disney Company is expanding its AI network in Bengaluru,” he added.
Noting Bengaluru’s position among the top global cities for AI talent, he added, “Under our DeepTech Decade, we are supporting startups with grants of up to Rs 1 crore. We are engaging with global leaders and innovators to ensure responsible AI use, build the right skill sets, create strong incubators, and establish Centres of Excellence that can foster startups and strengthen e-governance.”
The minister also attended a roundtable organised by the US-India Business Council (USIBC), where discussions focused on strengthening technology collaboration, investment partnerships, and innovation-led growth between Karnataka and global enterprises.
He met Timo Harakka, Member of Parliament of Finland, to explore possibilities for collaboration between Karnataka and Finland in AI and deep-tech sectors, including joint research, innovation partnerships, and startup exchanges.
The Karnataka IT Minister also visited the Indian Army showcase at the summit, which featured advanced AI-driven defence and strategic technology applications, highlighting the role of AI in national security and modernisation efforts.
He toured the Karnataka Pavilion and the ArtPark Pavilion, interacting with founders and teams from Karnataka’s innovation ecosystem and reviewing emerging AI and deep-tech solutions, the statement added.
