Twitter proprietor Elon Musk on Sunday deflected questions directed at him by Sen. Edward Markey (D-Mass.) concerning the social media website’s upended verification system. Musk as a substitute mocked Markey over an impostor account created to appear to be the senator’s.
Musk appeared to publicly dismiss Markey’s request for solutions a few system that has allowed a rash of impostor accounts to pop up. Twitter has been inundated with issues since Musk took over late final month, many associated to the platform’s swap to promoting its “blue verify mark” verification for $8 a month.
To level out considerations over Twitter’s new procedures to amass a blue verify mark, a Washington Put up reporter made a take a look at impostor account for Markey (with the senator’s permission).
“A @washingtonpost reporter was capable of create a verified account impersonating me — I’m asking for solutions from @elonmusk who’s placing income over individuals and his debt over stopping disinformation,” Markey tweeted Friday whereas sharing a replica of a letter addressed to Musk.
“Maybe it’s as a result of your actual account seems like a parody?” Musk said in a tongue-in-cheek response to Markey. Musk, in one other purple herring, questioned why Markey’s Twitter profile picture reveals him carrying a coronavirus face masks.
Although COVID-19 circumstances have largely plateaued within the U.S. since a report excessive final December, the virus stays prevalent. The federal authorities reportedly plans to resume the pandemic as a public well being emergency in January, with some well being officers cautioning that there could possibly be a surge in circumstances once more this winter.
Markey has continued to advocate for coronavirus protections, significantly for seniors and those that are immunocompromised. He has additionally labored to safe funding within the Senate to handle the long-term well being issues associated to the virus.
But it surely’s Markey’s work within the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee that Twitter customers flagged to Musk on Sunday. The committee’s duties embrace reviewing proposed laws associated to communications and media, in addition to area and science — industries that Musk holds inventory in.
“In all probability not an awesome thought to troll a excessive rating Senator with a historical past of taking down wealthy individuals,” one account tweeted at him. Musk appeared to brush this concern off, nevertheless, suggesting that Markey can be committing an abuse of energy if he have been to go after the platform.
Markey requested that Musk reply to the questions in his letter by Nov. 25.
The letter accuses Musk of “placing income over individuals and his debt over stopping disinformation” in his choice to permit anybody to buy a blue verify mark, which was initially used to indicate an account was verified to be genuine.
“Twitter and its management have a accountability to the general public to make sure the platform doesn’t turn into a breeding floor for manipulation and deceit,” Markey acknowledged.
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