Confusion, fear, conspiracies, celebration.

Within the hours after Elon Musk took over Twitterreactions on the platform ranged from triumph to despair.

Whereas no quick coverage adjustments have been introduced on Friday afternoon, that did not cease customers from cheering – or criticizing – what they anticipated to be fast adoption of Musk’s Commitments decreasing moderation in what he stated is an effort to advertise free speech.

Conservative figures on the location started circulating long-debunked conspiracy theories, together with about COVID-19 and the 2020 election, in a tongue-in-cheek try and “check” whether or not Twitter’s misinformation insurance policies have been nonetheless being enforced.

Standard right-wing pundits tweeted out buzzwords akin to “ivermectin” and “Trump gained” to see if they’d be penalized for content material they thought had been beforehand flagged. Ivermectin, an inexpensive drug that kills parasites in people and animals, has been promoted by some Republican politicians and conservative discuss present hosts as an efficient technique to deal with COVID-19. However well being specialists have warned there may be little proof to help the assumption that it really works.

“Okay, @elonmusk, is that this factor on? Steve Cortes, a former commentator for the conservative Newsmax TV channel and adviser to former President Donald Trump, wrote in a tweet, the place he included a microphone emoji. “THERE ARE TWO GENDER TRUMP WON IVERMECTIN ROCKS.”

In a letter geared toward allaying advertisers’ fears, Musk promised Thursday that Twitter wouldn’t be a “free-for-all hellscape, the place something will be stated with out penalties.”

However the jury remains to be out on what’s going to develop into of the social media platform and what it is going to tolerate. Observers watch who stays, who leaves, and who may doubtlessly return from the listing of individuals the platform has banned over time. They vary from former US President Donald Trump to conspiracy theorist Alex Jones and former Ku Klux Klan chief David Duke – none of whom have returned to the platform thus far.

The Related Press has verified a minimum of a dozen different Twitter accounts which were suspended by the platform — together with these utilized by right-wing activist James O’Keefe and MyPillow chief govt Mike Lindell — and every posted an “account suspended” message on Friday. afternoon.

A minimum of one has nonetheless discovered a technique to get their level throughout.

“I’m very pleased that Twitter is now in good palms and now not run by crazies and radical left maniacs who actually hate our nation,” Trump stated Friday morning in a put up on his Fact social media platform. Social, leaving no clues. of if he would return to the platform though Musk stated he would permit it.

“I LOVE THE TRUTH!” he stated, including that Twitter can be “higher” if it managed to eliminate the bots and pretend accounts “that damage it so badly”.

Twitter will kind a content material moderation council with a variety of views.

No main content material or account reinstatement choices will likely be made earlier than this board meets.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 28, 2022

In a Tweet posted on Friday afternoon, Musk stated Twitter would kind a “content material moderation council with broadly numerous views” and that “no main content material or account reinstatement choices will happen till this time.” council doesn’t meet”.

Open a Pandora’s field

Earlier at this time, Reuters information company reported that Kanye West, the rapper legally often called Ye, was again on Twitter. after being blocked on his account earlier this month about his anti-Semitic posts on the platform.

Musk clarified that Ye’s account was restored earlier than it finalized the takeover and Twitter “didn’t seek the advice of or inform me”.

The rapper and dressmaker had additionally been suspended from Instagram however his account there was lately reinstated.

In the meantime, dozens of extremist Twitter profiles — some newly created — have been spreading racial slurs and Nazi imagery whereas expressing their gratitude to Musk for his new management. A type of posts shared a last-minute replace on Musk’s takeover of the corporate, tweeting a racial slur and the message “thanks Elon.” One other nameless account tweeted, “Elon now controls Twitter, unleash the racial slurs,” together with a number of derogatory feedback.

“His acquisition of Twitter opened Pandora’s field,” advocacy group Ultraviolet stated in a ready assertion Friday, whereas urging Musk, Twitter executives and the corporate’s board to proceed to implement Trump’s ban “in addition to the violent proper.” wing extremists and white supremacists”.

Some customers reacted to the information by threatening to give up and others mocked them for it. The phrases “Elon” and “elimination” appeared in Twitter’s high developments on Friday as customers mentioned the fallout.

Hypothesis has additionally permeated the platform. Some feared their Twitter follower numbers would plummet, theorizing that Twitter may clear up the bots. Different customers have posted unverified experiences that their likes are dropping.

“Elon Musk purchased a platform, he did not purchase individuals,” stated Jennifer Grygiel, social media skilled and professor at Syracuse College. “And we at all times have a selection in how we get our information, our info and the way we talk.”

Grygiel stated there can be a flight to high quality if Twitter descended into additional chaos below Musk, however that may not be a nasty factor because the platform more and more serves company pursuits. and state media.

And as at all times, customers have been fast to crack jokes — in an effort to chop via the litter in additional comedic methods.

“In honor of the truth that Elon now owns this website, I wish to unleash complete mayhem,” CNN commentator Bakari Sellers wrote in a Tweet Friday morning. “Which is best Popeyes or Bojangles and why?”