• Elon Musk puts future as Twitter chief to public vote.
• Accounts used to advertise other social media networks will be banned.
• publishing of content from other websites will still be permitted.

Elon Musk, the owner of the social media site Twitter, is soliciting votes from users on whether he should continue serving as its CEO.

He tweeted: “Should I step down as head… I will abide by the outcome.” He has 122 million followers.

Since gaining control of Twitter, the tech magnate, who also owns Tesla and Space X, has come under heavy fire.

After a protracted legal struggle, Mr. Musk purchased the business for $44 billion (£36 billion) in October.

Twitter has announced that it will delete accounts that are only used to advertise other social media networks.

According to a tweet from the company, the change will also apply to accounts that link to or utilise identities from websites including Facebook, Instagram, Mastodon, Truth Social, Tribel, Nostr, and Post.

However, publishing of content from other websites will still be permitted.

Former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, who just made an investment in Nostr, responded to the tweet by asking, “Why?”

Dorsey said, “doesn’t make sense,” in response to another user who posted about the ban on Nostr promotions.

Reporter Taylor Lorenz of the Washington Post was punished on Saturday for violating the new rule before it was even publicised.

She provided a link to the tweet she claimed got her blocked after being reinstated on Sunday.

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Apparently this is the tweet that did me in pic.twitter.com/0VEby8qzQu

— Taylor Lorenz (@TaylorLorenz) December 18, 2022

Many Twitter users switched to Mastodon after Mr. Musk’s takeover, and Twitter had previously barred users from publishing some connections to that network.

However, Twitter acknowledged that many of its users were engaged on other social networking sites in a series of tweets sent out on Sunday. On Twitter, we will no longer permit the free marketing of certain social networking sites.

The following platforms will have their connections or usernames removed: Facebook, Instagram, Mastodon, Truth Social, Tribel, Nostr, and Post. “Specifically, we will remove accounts created exclusively for the purpose of advertising other social platforms.”

In a blog post outlining the rules, it was said that tweets like “follow me @username on Instagram” or “look out my profile on Facebook – facebook.com/username” might be examples of probable infractions.

It further stated that any attempts to circumvent the limits would be a breach.

If someone violates the rules for the first time or in a “isolated occurrence,” they may be requested to remove the offending tweets or their accounts may be temporarily locked.

But it warned that any such transgressions “will result in permanent suspension.”

However, users can still upload content to Twitter from restricted websites, and paid advertisements from those websites will still be accepted.

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Could links be included in Twitter Blue subscription?

— Trung Phan (@TrungTPhan) December 18, 2022

A few hours after the statement, Mr. Musk appeared to contradict it by tweeting, “No more relentless advertising of competitors for free, which is the utmost absurdity. Casually sharing infrequent links is acceptable.”

Following the news, the CEO of Post, one of the restricted sites, promoted his website in a tweet.

Noam Bardin tweeted, adding “Freedom Equals Choice,” “We make it easy to add all your social media links to your profile as none of us exclusively use one platform.”

Since Mr. Musk acquired the social media platform in October for $44 billion (£36 billion), there have been a rush of contentious changes at Twitter.

He has let go of about half of the workers and halted Twitter’s for-pay verification service after an erratic launch. Last week, the feature was reintroduced.

Additionally criticised is the billionaire’s method of content monitoring; some civil rights organisations charge that he is taking actions that will encourage hate speech and false information.

After the EU and UN dubbed it an assault on press freedom, Putin reinstated many journalists on Friday whom he had previously dismissed for allegedly sharing location data about him.

One group of those unable to access their accounts were journalists for the New York Times, CNN, and the Washington Post.

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