Whatever “new” Twitter is under Elon Musk, it’s so much better than what it used to be. People aren’t getting banned anymore for saying objectively true things, you can make fun of journalists again, and the rules actually seem to be getting applied equally.
Perhaps most notable, though, has been Musk’s announced changes to the verification system. Twitter has used verification as a kind of extortion system, with the company allegedly seeking big paydays in exchange for the coveted blue checkmark. Verification has also created a kind of hierarchy on the site, and given how arbitrary Twitter has been in giving it, it’s been used to help push partisan aims for years.
Musk is seeking to change that by offering verification as part of Twitter Blue, a pre-existing monthly paid service that adds a series of features. Essentially, the blue checkmark will become attainable for everyone, and that’s got many on the left raving mad.
One of those people is far-left “comedian” Kathy Griffin, who decided to copy someone else’s joke (a microcosm of her career) and impersonate Elon Musk on Twitter. This was supposedly done to protest making verification a paid service. Apparently, Griffin didn’t bother to read the terms of service, though, because something amazing happened.
https://twitter.com/bonchieredstate/status/1589389762510880768
It’s always a pleasure to watch justice served. Griffin has long used Twitter as her personal playground with no consequences, routinely violating the TOS. She once famously posted a picture of herself holding a bloody, decapitated head meant to be Donald Trump. I guess she felt she was still untouchable, and she was quickly disabused of that notion.
It gets better, though. Musk decided he wasn’t going to keep playing this game with people who hate him and want to destroy his company. He put out a new directive making impersonation on Twitter a permanent suspension.
Previously, we issued a warning before suspension, but now that we are rolling out widespread verification, there will be no warning.
This will be clearly identified as a condition for signing up to Twitter Blue.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 6, 2022
Sure enough, if you go check Griffin’s Twitter, it no longer says “temporarily suspended.” It now just says “suspended,” which would indicate she’s not coming back, at least not without bending the knee behind the scenes in some fashion.
Griffin flew too close to the sun, as did a few other liberals who tried the same stunt. Impersonation has always been against the TOS, and there was no reason to think that had changed. What really happened here, though, is that the left was used to playing by a different set of rules, and under Twitter’s old management they did. That’s no more, and it’s hilarious to witness people who are completely defined by a blue checkmark running into the brick wall that is Elon Musk.
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