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Twitter turned 20 and I feel nothing
The author reflects on Twitter's 20th anniversary, noting a lack of nostalgia despite being a long-time user. The article discusses the platform's transformation into X, its current algorithm, controversial AI tool Grok, and the legacy of its founder Jack Dorsey.
Evening Legal Briefs
A watchdog group has warned that X may be violating US sanctions against Iran. Separately, a developer is suing a publisher for failing to deliver promised physical editions to Kickstarter backers for over two years.
X could be breaching US sanctions on Iran, watchdog warns
A watchdog group, the Tech Transparency Project, has warned that X may be violating US sanctions on Iran. This concern stems from X's verified account for Iran's supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, who is himself sanctioned, appearing to pay for a premium subscription. The TTP has previously identified similar instances of sanctioned individuals and groups subscribing to X's premium services.
X says it suspended 800 million accounts in 2024 over spam and manipulation
X reported to UK MPs that it suspended 800 million accounts in 2024 due to violations of platform manipulation and spam policies. The company identified state-backed campaigns, primarily from Russia, China, and Iran, as the source of these accounts, which aimed to spread disinformation and manipulate discussions, including those related to the US Presidential Elections.
You can (sort of) block Grok from editing your uploaded photos
X, formerly Twitter, has introduced a feature allowing users to prevent Elon Musk's xAI chatbot, Grok, from editing their uploaded photos. This comes after Grok generated millions of inappropriate images, including those of children, leading to regulatory investigations in the EU. While the feature offers a basic level of control, critics argue it is a superficial gesture with easy workarounds, and that xAI should implement more robust safety measures or disable image generation until the issues are resolved.
X's Exclusive Threads feature lets creators paywall the end of tweet threads
X has introduced a new feature called Exclusive Threads, allowing creators to paywall parts of their tweet threads for subscribers. This update to the creator subscriptions platform aims to provide new monetization tools by enabling creators to tease content before locking the remainder behind a subscription. The company is also promoting other features like paid partnership labels for sponsored posts.
COPPA 2.0 passes the Senate again, unanimously this time
The US Senate has unanimously passed the Children and Teens’ Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA 2.0), which aims to enhance online protections for minors by preventing platforms from collecting their personal data without consent. This bipartisan bill, a modernized version of the 1998 act, seeks to address current online activities like targeted advertising. While it has passed the Senate multiple times, it has yet to clear the House of Representatives, facing opposition from industry groups like NetChoice.
X to require AI labels on armed conflict videos from paid creators, citing ‘times of war’
X will suspend creators from its revenue sharing program if they post AI-generated videos depicting armed conflicts without disclosure. This policy, announced by Head of Product Nikita Bier, applies only to monetized accounts and AI-generated conflict videos, with violations flagged by Community Notes or AI metadata detection. The platform is also testing a broader AI labeling toggle for all posts.
Elon Musk's Grok reportedly had an update delayed thanks to its lacklustre Baldur's Gate 3 knowledge
Elon Musk reportedly delayed an update for his AI chatbot Grok due to its insufficient knowledge of the game Baldur's Gate 3. Musk also prioritized Grok learning League of Legends, a game he enjoys. This comes amid reports of xAI's development and Musk's return to CEO roles at his tech companies.
