Elon Musk says Twitter accounts engaging in impersonation without clearly specifying they are a parody will be permanently suspended.
Twitter previously issued a warning before suspending accounts, but there would now be no warning, he announced.
A number of accounts that changed their name to Elon Musk and mocked the billionaire have already been suspended or placed behind a warning sign.
Twitter’s billionaire new owner took over the company late last month.
At the end of last week he laid off around half of the company’s workforce.
He has also confirmed plans to allow users to buy blue-tick, verified status.
Detailing the new policy on parody accounts, Mr. Musk tweeted: “Previously, we issued a warning before suspension, but now that we are rolling out widespread verification, there will be no warning.”
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
He added that “any name change at all will cause temporary loss of verified checkmark”.
Any name change at all will cause temporary loss of verified checkmark
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 6, 2022
Going forward, any Twitter handles engaging in impersonation without clearly specifying “parody” will be permanently suspended
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 6, 2022
However, Mr. Musk has insisted that the firm’s stance towards harmful material remains “absolutely unchanged”. UN human rights chief Volker Turk wrote him an open letter, warning that Twitter had a responsibility to avoid amplifying harmful content.
