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Blue subscribers should be the only ones that can vote in policy related polls

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21–30 of 56 posts

Re: Blue subscribers should be the only ones that can vote in policy related polls

#21
post #6

So, at first, Elon Musk declared that the "current lords & peasants system" is bad. Now, he's implementing a system where it's Lord Elon, his $8 Vassals, and the rest of the unwashed Peasants cannot speak. He seems rather unclear on concepts of equality and free speech . . .

He had a good idea before the acquisition which was “authenticate all real humans”. Seems like that’d solve many issues on the platform, but imagine it’d be expensive to implement.

the biggest issue with this plan (and one he certainly realized by now which is why he hasn't solved this problem) is that the majority of users and followers are simply bots or inactive users. as soon as he purges those and everyone's follower count (most notably his) drops by 50-70% everyone will see the platform as dying.

Re: Blue subscribers should be the only ones that can vote in policy related polls

#22

Makes sense if you vote Twitter as a private business (which it is). Prioritize the needs of paying customers who have skin in the game. Like any business would. On the other hand, it makes less sense if you view Twitter as a public utility (which it is not).

Maybe just let advertisers vote. I mean, they are the ones really paying the bills.

Re: Blue subscribers should be the only ones that can vote in policy related polls

#25
post #5

Perhaps the result wasn't the one he hoped for?

I'm not sure about that. He also had the "be careful what you wish for" tweet, which indicates he had something in mind if the vote was to step down. Also, I can't imagine he planned to put so much energy into this one part of his empire forever.

It could also mean to expect more radical changes if the vote goes in favor of him staying.

It's a common political tactic to make statements that can be interpreted one way or another. On average, people will read it the way they want to, and yet the statement will never be wrong.

Re: Blue subscribers should be the only ones that can vote in policy related polls

#26

In theory, (most) botnet operators can’t afford $8/month/bot; so this seems like a reasonable strategy from that point of view

“botnets” are boogeymen, it’s a story that doesn’t stand up to any meaningful interrogation.

Elon Musk has simultaneously argued that Twitter is the most popular it has ever been, that there are hundreds of millions of real people using each day… while also supposing that 17 million votes in 12 hours couldn’t possibly come from real people and there must be “botnets” responsible.

Why couldn’t 10% of the people using a platform want to vote in a poll about the future of the platform?

Re: Blue subscribers should be the only ones that can vote in policy related polls

#27
Wasn't there a book exactly like this? A guy took over some business and made all these perplexing business decisions.

Some of the decisions were designed to simply draw attention to the company, others were actual changes to improve the company.

This Twitter drama reminds me of some work of fiction, I just can't remember which.

Re: Blue subscribers should be the only ones that can vote in policy related polls

#28
Peter Cook has raised a glass.

> Rimmer then gains ultimate control by requiring the populace to engage in endless postal voting and televoting on trivial or complex matters.

> At last, exhausted, they acquiesce in one final vote which passes dictatorial power to him.

The Rise and Rise of Michael Rimmer

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Rise_and_Rise_of_Michael_R...

Re: Blue subscribers should be the only ones that can vote in policy related polls

#29
post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

He had a good idea before the acquisition which was “authenticate all real humans”. Seems like that’d solve many issues on the platform, but imagine it’d be expensive to implement.

the biggest issue with this plan (and one he certainly realized by now which is why he hasn't solved this problem) is that the majority of users and followers are simply bots or inactive users. as soon as he purges those and everyone's follower count (most notably his) drops by 50-70% everyone will see the platform as dying.

Seeing that 50-70% drop in accounts up front would have been a better way of introducing the 70% staffing cuts.

Re: Blue subscribers should be the only ones that can vote in policy related polls

#30
post #11

On the one hand, it's dumb to let bots vote in your policy polls, so trying to filter them out makes perfect sense. On the other hand, it also seems dumb to not let potential customers vote - these are the people you're trying to get $8 from, shouldn't you want to know what they want? On the third hand, making policy decisions based on Twitter polls is dumb from the get-go.

Running a business is not a democracy - dumbest idea ever.

Agreed, Elon should never have posted that poll.
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