Elon Musk faces a test of how to manage misinformation and hate speech on Twitter as the US votes in midterm elections just days after the billionaire sacked staff who policed user content and is set to roll out a new identity verification system.
Critics had already raised concerns about Musk’s plans to loosen content moderation at his newly acquired social media site when he began implementing a plan to sack half of Twitter’s 7,500-strong workforce, including members of the “trust and safety” team.
Then on Saturday, Twitter said in updates to its app on the Apple App Store that it was launching a new subscription service in some jurisdictions including the US and UK, charging users $7.99 a month for a product that would include “Blue Tick” verifications. “Trash me all day, but it’ll cost $8,” Musk tweeted from his own verified account.