Shonda Rhimes says ‘bye’ to Twitter after Musk takeover

Musk, a self-explained free-speech absolutist, finished his $44 billion takeover of the social media system on Thursday and immediately fired best executives he had criticized for getting as well suppressive. 

Although he was rapid to reassure advertisers on Thursday that the system would not come to be a “free-for-all hellscape,” not all people was certain. Typical Motors said it would briefly pause promoting on Twitter, adding, “We are participating with Twitter to recognize the way of the platform underneath their new possession.” 

Advertisers, of class, are not eager on showing close to offensive content, and there’s been a sharp maximize in that considering that Musk took manage, with Twitter trolls flooding the platform with racial slurs and Nazi memes.

“The threat below is that in the title of ‘free speech,’ Musk will switch back again the clock and make Twitter into a more potent engine of hatred, divisiveness, and misinformation about elections, general public health and fitness coverage, and intercontinental affairs,” Paul Barrett, deputy director of the NYU Stern Heart for Small business and Human Legal rights, told the Affiliated Push.

On Friday, the Tesla and SpaceX CEO tweeted, “To be super distinct, we have not still created any adjustments to Twitter’s written content moderation procedures.” That followed him tweeting before: “Twitter will be forming a information moderation council with broadly varied viewpoints. No major content material decisions or account reinstatements will come about ahead of that council convenes.” 

He also available glimpses into his considering about the platform’s upcoming on Friday and early Saturday though replying to Twitter suggestions. When a consumer pointed out Fb has a thing identical to the information moderation council but nonetheless angers the two the still left the appropriate, Musk replied, “Good issue. Becoming in a position to pick which model of Twitter you want is likely far better, much as it would be for a film maturity score. The score of the tweet by itself could be self-chosen, then modified by user comments.”

As Musk toys with ideas, nonetheless, an improve in hateful articles may well in the meantime drive some users away from the platform—including well known ones like Rhimes.

In accordance to the Community Contagion Investigate Institute, which analyzes social media information and predicts emerging threats, cases of the N-word improved by nearly 500% in the 12 several hours right away after Musk’s takeover was finalized. 

Proof implies that negative actors are seeking to take a look at the boundaries on @Twitter. Various posts on 4chan really encourage customers to amplify derogatory slurs.

For instance, more than the previous 12 hrs, the use of the n-term has increased approximately 500% from the earlier normal. pic.twitter.com/mEqziaWuMF

— Network Contagion Investigation Institute (@ncri_io) Oct 28, 2022

Rhimes, an African-American, did not elaborate on why she was leaving the platform. But up right up until now she’s been a prolific user of Twitter, making a big following due to the fact joining the platform in November 2008.

Not hanging close to for whatever Elon has prepared. Bye.

— shonda rhimes (@shondarhimes) Oct 29, 2022