Twitter has been a rollercoaster for millions of users and thousands of its employees as new changes have kept them all on the tip of their seats. What's next planned for Twitter is the biggest question everyone has been asking. Elon Musk, the new Twitter chief, is back with another headliner — the new rules for the platform he overtook for $44 billion.
"Twitter rules will evolve over time, but they're currently the following," Musk tweeted along with the set of new guidelines that apply for all users. Having gone through the rules, most of it is unchanged, except for the addition of "Misleading and Deceptive Identities."
"You may not impersonate individuals, groups, or organizations to mislead, confuse, or deceive others, nor use a fake identity in a manner that disrupts the experience of others on Twitter," the new authenticity guideline states. This isn't surprising since Musk threatened to permanently suspend users engaging in impersonation.
No warnings!
In fact, actor and comic Kathy Griffin became the first casualty of Elon Musk's new rule as Twitter suspended her account for "engaging in impersonation" after she changed her display name to "Elon Musk".
After her account was suspended for impersonating Musk, the new Twitter CEO commented, jokingly: "Actually, she was suspended for impersonating a comedian. But if she really wants her account back, she can have it. For $8."
He said that Twitter needs to become by far the "most accurate source of information about the world".
Previously, Twitter issued a warning before suspension, "but now that we are rolling out widespread verification, there will be no warning", said the world's richest man. "Any name change at all will cause temporary loss of verified checkmark," Musk added.
Besides, there's also a policy against posting any "video content on or through our services that includes third-party advertising, such as pre-roll video ads or sponsorship graphics, without our prior consent."
The guidelines have been divided into sections of Safety, Privacy, Authenticity, Enforcement and Appeals, and Third-party advertising in video content. You can read them all here:
Safety
Violence: Users have been barred from threatening violence against an individual or a group of people. Twitter has also stated that they prohibit the glorification of violence
Terrorism/violent extremism: Users have been asked not to threaten or promote terrorism or violent extremism
Child sexual exploitation: Twitter rulebook said they have zero tolerance for child sexual exploitation on Twitter
Abuse/harassment: Twitter users have been strictly warned against targeted harassment of someone, or incite other people to do so, which includes wishing or hoping that someone experiences physical harm
Hateful conduct: Users have been barred from promote violence against, threaten, or harass other people on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, caste, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, religious affiliation, age, disability, or serious disease.
Perpetrators of violent attacks: Elon Musk led Twitter has informed that they will remove any accounts maintained by individual perpetrators of terrorist, violent extremist, or mass violent attacks, and may also remove Tweets disseminating manifestos or other content produced by perpetrators
Suicide or self-harm: Users cannot promote or encourage suicide or self-harm.
Sensitive media, including graphic violence and adult content: Users cannot post media that is excessively gory or share violent or adult content within live video or in profile or header images. Media depicting sexual violence and/or assault is also not permitted
Illegal or certain regulated goods or services: Users should not use Twitter for any unlawful purpose or in furtherance of illegal activities like selling, buying, or facilitating transactions in illegal goods or services, as well as certain types of regulated goods or services
Privacy
Private information: Users cannot publish or post other people's private information (such as home phone number and address) without their express authorization and permission.
Non-consensual nudity: A user cannot post or share intimate photos or videos of someone that were produced or distributed without their consent
Authenticity
Platform manipulation and spam: Users cannot use Twitter's services in a manner intended to artificially amplify or suppress information or engage in behavior that manipulates or disrupts people's experience on Twitter
Civic Integrity: Users should not use Twitter's services for the purpose of manipulating or interfering in elections or other civic processes.
Misleading and Deceptive Identities: This new addition to the set to previously decided rules say that users may not impersonate individuals, groups, or organizations to mislead, confuse, or deceive others, nor use a fake identity in a manner that disrupts the experience of others on Twitter.
Synthetic and manipulated media: Users should not deceptively share synthetic or manipulated media that are likely to cause harm
Copyright and trademark: User should not violate others' intellectual property rights, including copyright and trademark.
Third-party advertising in video content
Users have been restricted from submitting, posting, or displaying any video content that includes third-party advertising, such as pre-roll video ads or sponsorship graphics, without our prior consent.
