Elon Musk says Twitter will type a ‘content material moderation council’ earlier than deciding on Trump

Elon Musk has solely been in charge of Twitter for a short while, however he’s already making large strikes. Musk fired a lot of key executives on day one together with Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal, however in a brand new tweet he claims he’ll be shifting extra slowly on the subject of making content material moderation choices.

Musk hasn’t stated a lot since taking on at Twitter, however he’ll apparently type some type of coverage advisory physique to supervise content material moderation choices. Musk stated the group will replicate “diverse viewpoints” although we’ll actually have to attend and see on that one.

Importantly, Musk says he gained’t be making any main choices or account reinstatements— i.e. restoring former President Donald Trump — earlier than the council is put in place. Because it’s Musk which may occur inside hours or it may not occur in any respect, it’s laborious to say.

On Thursday, Musk additionally let go of Vijaya Gadde, a well-respected high coverage govt on the firm who helped it navigate complicated authorized and moderation points for greater than 11 years. Getting rid of Gadde was a sign {that a} new period with totally different choice making is starting, for higher or worse.

The tweet is probably going extra balm for skittish advertisers cautious of Musk instantly turning the platform into an anything-goes mess of harassment, hate and misinformation. While Twitter arguably already meets that description with present ranges of moderation in place, advertisers are expecting any main shifts within the type of content material allowed on the platform and the way it may adversely have an effect on their manufacturers.

Musk may assume that is an unique thought, however Twitter already consults a belief and security council to advise its product and coverage choices. The council — it’s already known as a council — consisted initially of 40 organizations and consultants that suggested it in difficult coverage areas. That group served in additional of an advisory capability, and in contrast to with Meta’s Oversight Board, it wasn’t designed to create binding choices.

First introduced in 2016, Twitter expanded the entity in 2020 to type teams devoted to particular troublesome matters, together with security and on-line harassment, digital rights, youngster sexual exploitation and suicide prevention. “A lot of what we currently do, such as ongoing meetings with NGOs, activists and other organizations is always part of our process, but we haven’t done enough to share that externally,” Twitter wrote on the time.

It’s doable Musk has one thing extra just like the Oversight Board in thoughts on the subject of content material moderation choice making, however all the things from the individuals who wind up serving on a hypothetical council to the character of the group’s affect is prone to be controversial.