What weirdness is happening at Twitter today? Let’s revisit that sh*tshow

Another day, another crappy day for fans of Twitter–and Elon Musk. Let’s count the ways.

Twitter Blue has relaunched.

I woke up this morning expecting to find the blue checkmark next to my name gone. But as I type this, it’s still there despite the fact that Twitter Blue is back. And it’s even more confusing than the first time it launched–and that was a disaster.

Elon is making iOS users pay for his fight with Apple

If you’re an Android user, verification costs $8 a month. But if you’re an Apple user, that very same verification costs $11. The extra $3 goes to paying the 30% commission Apple charges through its App Store. Hardly seems fair…

Tesla is hurting as a result of the Twitter debacle

Tesla stock is down by 50% this year, losing US$700 billion in value. That’s the equivalent of three Disneys, four Nikes, or six Starbucks. Elon is no longer the richest person in the world.

Twitter’s Trust and Safety Council was suddenly dissolved

So… no more trust and safety at Twitter? The council looked after things like hate speech, child exploitation, suicide, self-harm, and other Big Deal Problems. Meanwhile, Twitter’s former top safety official was forced to flee his home because he wasn’t safe. Too many threats against him by Elon and his acolytes.

Users are fleeing, too.

It’s expected that Twitter will lose at least 32 million users in the next two years because of Elon. I think that’s conservative.