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☆ 'If I committed suicide, it's not real': Elon Musk reassures the public he's not suicidal for a second time this year
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-04 | by ( Jordan Hart | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Elon Musk attended a Twitter Space Q&A with more than 100,000 listeners on Saturday. This is the second time in 2022 that Musk has alluded to his mysterious death. In a Saturday Twitter Space, Musk hosted a live Q&A on the "Twitter Files" bombshell dropped on Friday. According to Twitter, 1.8 million total tuned in to the Twitter Space interview. In the Q&A, Musk also suggested Twitter favored Democrats over Republicans in its censorship.

☆ Fact Check-Elon Musk did not say journalists with ‘they/them’ pronouns would pay more for Twitter verification
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Billionaire Elon Musk has not tweeted that he will double the Twitter verification fee for journalists who list nonbinary pronouns in their online bio, as claimed by some social media users. Instagram users shared a screenshot of a tweet that reads, “BREAKING: @elonmusk says journalists with ‘they/them’ pronouns in bio will pay a $16 monthly fee instead of the standard $8 verification because ‘they’ identify as multiple people.” (here) , (here) , (here). Musk has previously drawn criticism for mocking people who list their preferred pronouns in their online bios (here). After receiving backlash for the tweet, Musk tweeted in Dec. 2020, “I absolutely support trans, but all these pronouns are an esthetic nightmare” (here). Although Musk has been openly critical of people using nonbinary pronouns, there is no evidence that he said he would charge journalists using ‘they/them’ pronouns a higher fee for Twitter verification.

☆ Elon Musk's Starlink satellite internet is reportedly raising prices in Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

SpaceX is increasing its prices for Starlink, according to a Financial Times report. The cost of Starlink terminals in Ukraine has nearly doubled over the past year, per FT. Similarly, the cost for the Starlink terminals will rise about $200 per device, from $500 to $700, FT reported. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk first sent Starlink terminals to Ukraine in February, within days of Russia's attack on the nation. In October, SpaceX told the Pentagon it could not continue to pay for Starlink in Ukraine, according to a report from CNN.

☆ Tesla has lost its shine among some previously diehard fans, following Elon Musk's chaotic Twitter takeover
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( Beatrice Nolan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

The Tesla brand has become unpopular with some former fans, following Elon Musk's Twitter takeover. Investor sentiment toward Tesla has also declined since Musk's Twitter deal, per Morgan Stanley. In addition, Tesla drivers say they are facing aggression on the road. An August report from Axios found Tesla drivers in Iowa were "routinely heckled, cut off in traffic, and blocked from charging stations." Tesla drivers who had been subject to abusive comments were also interviewed by the Guardian.

☆ Fact Check-CNN did not publish headline about Elon Musk and free speech on Twitter
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-29 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

A fabricated screenshot circulating on social media appears to show a CNN headline telling viewers that Elon Musk could threaten free speech on Twitter by simply allowing free speech. No such headline appears on CNN’s website and CNN has said publicly said the headline never appeared. One social media post dated November 28, 2022 (here) on Instagram reads: “CNN: Elon Musk could threaten free speech on Twitter by literally allowing people to speak freely” alongside images of CNN Anchor Don Lemon and Elon Musk. The CNN official communications team responded to Musk’s tweet, saying, “This headline never appeared on CNN. Read more about our work to fact-check social media posts here .

☆ 'I'm glad Elon is in the fight': Tech CEOs battling Apple's 30% App Store fee get unexpected ammo from Musk
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-29 | by ( Shona Ghosh | Kate Duffy | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Elon Musk has fueled a prolonged fight between Apple and app developers over App Store fees. One CEO who predicted trouble when Musk bought Twitter said the billionaire would draw attention to a niche issue. The latter has delighted developers and tech CEOs who rely on the App Store for its huge reach. In a separate tweet, Sweeney noted that Apple had blocked "Fortnite" from the App Store. The streaming app remains available through the App Store.

☆ Everything in Elon Musk's bedside table photo, including what appears to be 2 replica guns and a Buddhist ritual object
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-28 | by ( Travis Clark | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Objects on the table include cans of caffeine-free Diet Coke and what appear to be two replica guns. In a 2007 profile of Musk, Inc. wrote that Musk was drinking eight cans of Diet Coke a day, until he started cutting back. "Now, the office has caffeine-free Diet Coke." Musk must really like George WashingtonThe replica gun and painting aren't the only Washington-related things on Musk's table. Twitter/@elonmuskThere also appears to be a Buddhist ritual object on the tableIn the bottom-left corner of the photo appears to be a Buddhist ritual object called a Vajra Dorje, according to the New York Post.

☆ Some Twitter users who criticized Elon Musk say they've been suspended or told they violated rules due to 'hateful conduct'
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-28 | by ( Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Some Twitter users say they were told their tweets about Elon Musk were "hateful conduct." Insider found two users who said they were suspended for tweets poking fun at the new owner. Insider found two users who said their accounts were suspended and four who got notified by Twitter that they had violated its rules due to "hateful conduct." Another person said they received the same notification after tweeting: "To be clear, Elon Musk is a tax-avoidance whore." Musk also said that people who had their accounts suspended for "minor and dubious" reasons would be released from "Twitter jail."

☆ Sam Bankman-Fried was reported to own a $100 million stake in Elon Musk's Twitter. Musk says that's a lie.
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-23 | by ( Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Elon Musk said neither he nor Twitter have ever taken an investment from Sam Bankman-Fried or FTX. Semafor had earlier reported that Sam Bankman-Fried had a stake in the newly private Twitter. Semafor reported that Musk's text in May followed a message from Bankman-Fried in which he expressed his support for Musk's plans for Twitter and said he wouldn't be able to invest new money in Twitter. Meanwhile, the Financial Times reported that an FTX balance sheet dated November 10 listed Twitter shares as an "illiquid" asset. Musk also has pointed out that Bankman-Fried was an investor in Semafor, the media outlet that reported that Bankman-Fried had a stake in Twitter.

☆ Hive Social has grown to 2 million users and shot to the top of the App Store since people started fleeing Twitter. It's run by a 24-year-old founder and 2 other employees.
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-22 | by ( Samantha Delouya | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Some users searching for alternatives to Twitter have flocked to Hive Social. Elon Musk's frenzied management style and outlook on content moderation have some Twitter users hunting for alternatives to the social media giant. It's currently the top social app on Apple's App Store, surpassing even TikTok. She is a self-taught coder and had run the social media app with only one other employee until Friday, when a third developer joined the team. On Thursday, many new Hive Social users reported on Twitter that they were having trouble setting up their accounts.

☆ Fact Check-Fabricated Elon Musk tweet surfaces after Trump’s reinstatement on Twitter
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-21 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A fabricated image purporting to show a tweet published by billionaire Elon Musk urging people who disagreed with former U.S. President Donald Trump’s reinstatement on Twitter to delete the app has surfaced online. The supposed tweet dated Nov. 20 and purportedly sent via Musk’s official Twitter account (@ElonMusk) reads: “If you don’t like Trump’s reinstatement or the way I’m running Twitter or getting several daily push notifications from my account, then delete the app. The image was fabricated and no such tweet was published by Musk. A search through Musk’s Twitter account did not reveal the supposed tweet nor did a Twitter advanced search reveal the purported post (twitter.com/elonmusk), (archive.ph/wip/b0CfB). Musk did not urge Twitter users who disagree with former president Trump’s reinstatement on the platform to delete the app.

☆ Fact Check-Fabricated screenshot of Donald Trump saying he is back on Twitter on Nov. 19
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-21 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Former U.S. President Donald Trump has not posted on Twitter following the reinstatement of his account on Nov. 19, but social media users are sharing fabricated screenshots of tweets under the @realDonaldTrump account. The image shows a user with the handle @realDonaldTrump with the name “Donald J. Trump” saying on Nov. 19, “It is true that I am back. However, as of this article’s publication, Trump’s reinstated account shows that his last tweet was on Jan. 8, 2021 and has not posted on the @realDonaldTrump account since (twitter.com/realDonaldTrump). There is no evidence of Trump sharing this post on Twitter, as he has not posted on the account after being reinstated on Nov. 19 as of this article’s publication. Read more about our work to fact-check social media posts here .

☆ Analysis: Twitter was already in disarray. Trump's return will only make it more chaotic
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-20 | by ( Seth Fiegerman | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

(He also noted Trump’s return comes a day before the World Cup is set to kick off, a high-traffic event for the platform.) Instead, Musk tweeted a poll Friday, asking followers to vote whether or not to restore Trump’s account. But Trump also made Twitter into the center of the known media and political universe. Celebrities, world leaders, and a long list of critics and supporters often engaged with Trump directly on Twitter. But one answer seems clear: Musk appears to be betting that if users can’t turn away from the platform, neither can advertisers.

☆ Elon Musk says 'Hey stop defaming me' after coming under fire for letting Donald Trump back on Twitter
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-20 | by ( Sam Tabahriti | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Elon Musk said on Saturday night he would restore Donald Trump's Twitter account. "For @elonmusk to allow Donald Trump back on Twitter, ostensibly after a brief poll, shows he is not remotely serious about safeguarding the platform from hate, harassment and misinformation." Musk said in May it was "not correct to ban Donald Trump." It alienated the country and did not result in Donald Trump not having a voice. Twitter and a representative for Donald Trump didn't immediately respond to a request for comment by Insider.

CNN —Former US President Donald Trump’s Twitter account has been reinstated on the platform. The account, which Twitter banned following the January 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, was restored after Twitter CEO and new owner Elon Musk posted a poll on Twitter on Friday night asking the platform’s users if Trump should be reinstated. Asked on Saturday what he thought of Musk purchasing Twitter and his own future on the platform, Trump praised Musk but questioned whether the site would survive its current crises. It may make it, it may not make it.”Still, Trump said he liked Musk and “liked that he bought (Twitter. Soon after Trump’s Twitter ban, he was also restricted from Meta’s Facebook and Instagram, which could also restore his accounts as soon as January 2023.

☆ Jimmy Fallon is asking Elon Musk to take down #RIPJimmyFallon
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-16 | by ( Marianne Garvey | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —Jimmy Fallon is asking Elon Musk to help put a stop to a disturbing trend on Twitter. #RIPJimmyFallon.”Musk responded to Fallon the next morning, asking “Fix what?” He then brought the matter to the attention of Twitter’s @communitynotes account. Musk replied again later, this time joking: “Wait a second, how do we know you’re not an alien body snatcher pretending to be Jimmy!? Say something that only the real Jimmy would say …”Wait a second, how do we know you’re not an alien body snatcher pretending to be Jimmy!? Say something that only the real Jimmy would say … — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 16, 2022One follower commented that Fallon is alive and well, writing, “Since this is seriously blowing up, thought I’d just comment that this is satire.

☆ Elon Musk says free employee lunches at Twitter HQ were costing more than $400 per meal because 'almost no one' was in the office
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-14 | by ( Pete Syme | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Elon Musk said Sunday that free staff lunches at Twitter HQ were costing more than $400 per meal. He said badge-in records at the San Francisco office showed average occupancy below 10%. Musk was tweeting Sunday after The New York Times reported that Twitter employees would have to start paying for office lunches themselves. Twitter spends $13 million a year on food service at its San Francisco HQ, Musk said. Musk was challenged on his $400 meal cost estimate by Tracy Hawkins, a former Twitter employee.

☆ A day of chaos brings Twitter closer to the brink
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-11 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Washington CNN Business —Two weeks after Elon Musk completed his acquisition of Twitter, the future of the company has never looked less certain. “Quite the day!” Musk tweeted. In its latest reversal on the matter, Twitter said it would re-introduce a gray “Official” badge for select accounts to help confirm their identities. “Stick with the new Twitter that democratizes every tweet by paid accounts and puts the onus on all users to curate for themselves. “Twitter usage is at an all-time high,” Musk tweeted earlier this week, before adding in a follow-up tweet: “I just hope the servers don’t melt!”

☆ Elon Musk to UK minister: 'What does a tosh look like?'
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Britain's Northern Ireland minister Chris Heaton-Harris had called on Musk to act on fake news after he took to Twitter to dismiss false reports that he was resigning his government post. "I hope one of @elonmusk first moves is to eliminate fake news on Twitter ... Very exciting I know, but complete and utter tosh," he added. His appeal to the world's richest person elicited a surprising response from Musk, who asked: "What does a tosh look like?" Some of the thousands who viewed the exchange suggested Musk was joking, while others were keen to provide him with an explanation.

☆ Fact Check-Elon Musk’s Twitter account was not suspended following Twitter job cuts
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-07 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Elon Musk’s Twitter account was not suspended after major redundancies were announced at Twitter on Nov 4. Another individual linked to the same suspended account, with the tweet gathering more than 133,000 likes (here). Musk’s Twitter account remains active and viewable (twitter.com/elonmusk). The suspended account highlighted in the tweets is not Musk’s official Twitter handle. There is no evidence to support claims that Musk’s account was suspended after redundancies were announced at Twitter.

☆ The White House deleted a tweet that credited Biden for an increase in Social Security payments after a Twitter feature gave it a fact-check label
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-04 | by ( Kelsey Vlamis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

In a tweet Wednesday, the White House credited President Biden with raising Social Security payments. The White House said it was missing context, but Biden has touted the Social Security increase before. "Seniors are getting the biggest increase in their Social Security checks in 10 years through President Biden's leadership," the since-deleted post from the official White House Twitter account said. In line with such adjustments, the Social Security Administration announced last month benefits would be increasing by 8.7%. But it wasn't the first time Biden has appeared to try and take credit for the boost to Social Security payments.

☆ Fact Check-Fabricated screenshot of an Elon Musk tweet saying he will ‘buy TikTok and delete it’
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-02 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

An image shared on social media purports to show Elon Musk saying on Twitter that he will buy social media app TikTok and delete it. Twitter users sharing the image can be seen (here) and (here). The screenshot shared by social media users shows a post on Musk’s official Twitter handle @elonmusk saying “Now I’m going to buy TikTok and delete it haha” on Oct. 31. But there is no evidence that Musk, the new owner of Twitter, shared this tweet under his official account (twitter.com/elonmusk). Read more about our work to fact-check social media posts here .

☆ Elon Musk might bring back Vine, a predecessor of TikTok shut down by Twitter
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-01 | by ( David Ingram | David Ingram Covers Tech For Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

The possible Vine revival shows the breadth of product ideas — including old ones — that Musk is toying with in his first week heading up Twitter. A person who works for Twitter said exploratory discussions are happening within the social network about a possible Vine revival, which was first reported by Axios. Musk also solicited ideas about how to make a revived Vine better than TikTok. But some said it wouldn't necessarily be easy to bring Vine back after Twitter shut it down in 2016. When Vine didn't take off, Twitter shut it down in 2016, prompting Pornhub to make a joke bid and one of Vine's founders to express regret he ever sold it.

WASHINGTON — Sen. Chris Murphy on Monday called for an immediate investigation into the national security implications of Saudi Arabia's stake in Twitter after Elon Musk’s takeover of the social media company. “The purpose of these reviews is clear: to protect the national security interests of the United States and American citizens,” Murphy wrote to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, who leads CIFIUS. Late last week, Saudi Arabia’s Kingdom Holding Company and the private office of Prince Alwaleed bin Talal said they would help Musk finance his Twitter deal by rolling over their ownership of shares of the company worth about $1.89 billion, according to a statement tweeted by Alwaleed. Together all the way @Twitter,” Prince Alwaleed tweeted. Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, led by Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, owns nearly 17 percent of Kingdom Holding, according to Reuters.

☆ Elon Musk denied reports that he's speeding up Twitter layoffs to avoid paying out hefty stock grants to workers
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-31 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Elon Musk said reports he's speeding up layoffs to avoid paying out stock grants are false. Musk is set to lay off workers before Tuesday, when they're scheduled to receive stock grants, per the NYT. Media reports suggest that Musk may also avoid giving fired execs their expected multi-million-dollar payouts. The Times reported that Musk could therefore avoid paying the grants. The Information reported that the "for cause" terminations were an attempt to avoid paying out severance pay and unvested stock awards.

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