Twitter impersonators will be suspended permanently, Musk says

November 7, 2022 - 12:06 PM
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A view of the Twitter logo at its corporate headquarters in San Francisco, California, U.S. October 28, 2022. (Reuters/Carlos Barria)

Elon Musk said on Sunday Twitter users engaging in impersonation without clearly specifying it as a “parody” account will be permanently suspended without a warning.

In a separate tweet, Musk said Twitter previously issued a warning before suspension, but as Twitter is rolling out widespread verification, there will be no warning as well as “no exceptions.”

“This will be clearly identified as a condition for signing up to Twitter Blue,” Musk said, adding any name change at all will cause temporary loss of verified checkmark.

Twitter on Saturday updated its app in Apple’s App Store to begin charging $8 for sought-after blue check verification marks, in Elon Musk’s first major revision of the social media platform.

READ: Musk’s Twitter updates app to start charging $8 for blue checkmark

Tesla Inc TSLA.O boss Musk, who also will serve as chief executive of Twitter, last month said Twitter will be forming a content moderation council with “widely diverse viewpoints”.

“No major content decisions or account reinstatements will happen before that council convenes,” he added.

READ: Twitter says 50% of staff laid off, moves to reassure on content moderation

On the topic of banned accounts, Musk last week said they will not be allowed back onto Twitter until the social media platform has “a clear process for doing so.”

Creating such a process would take at least a few more weeks, Musk had tweeted, giving more clarity about the potential return of Twitter’s most famous banned user, former U.S. President Donald Trump. The new timeline implies Trump will not return in time for the midterm elections on Nov. 8.

Earlier on Sunday, the New York Times reported Twitter is delaying the rollout of verification check marks to subscribers of its new service until after Tuesday’s midterm elections.

—Reporting by Mrinmay Dey in Bengaluru; Editing by Daniel Wallis and Lincoln Feast.