{"id":34402,"date":"2023-04-12T14:43:07","date_gmt":"2023-04-12T14:43:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fusefornews.com\/2023\/04\/12\/six-things-we-learned-from-elon-musk-interview\/"},"modified":"2023-04-12T14:43:07","modified_gmt":"2023-04-12T14:43:07","slug":"six-things-we-learned-from-elon-musk-interview","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fusefornews.com\/?p=34402","title":{"rendered":"Six things we learned from Elon Musk interview"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> [ad_1]<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"\">\n<header class=\"ssrcss-1eqcsb1-HeadingWrapper e1nh2i2l5\"\/>\n<div data-component=\"video-block\" class=\"ssrcss-18mjolk-ComponentWrapper ep2nwvo1\">\n<figure class=\"ssrcss-wpgbih-StyledFigure e34k3c23\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-ab5fd8-StyledFigureContainer e34k3c21\">\n<div data-chromatic=\"ignore\" class=\"ssrcss-dtyrnv-MediaPlayerWrapper e1h75hkw3\"><noscript><\/p>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-1nxdn42-ErrorMessage eitf6462\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-1b7cqa9-StyledInnerContainer eitf6461\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">This video can not be played<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"ssrcss-q4zz1q-StyledHeading e1fj1fc10\">To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/noscript><\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ssrcss-1mget3o-StyledFigureCaption e34k3c22\"><span class=\"visually-hidden ssrcss-1f39n02-VisuallyHidden e1y6uwnp0\">Media caption, <\/span><\/p>\n<div spacing=\"6\" class=\"ssrcss-y7krbn-Stack e1y4nx260\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">Watch: Elon Musk&#8217;s unexpected BBC interview&#8230; in 90 seconds<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"ssrcss-11r1m41-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\"><b class=\"ssrcss-hmf8ql-BoldText e5tfeyi3\">Elon Musk has defended how he runs Twitter in a rare and wide-ranging interview with the BBC.<\/b><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"ssrcss-11r1m41-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">The world&#8217;s second richest man was questioned for nearly an hour by the BBC&#8217;s technology correspondent James Clayton at Twitter headquarters in San Francisco.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"ssrcss-11r1m41-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">Here are six things we learned.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><h2 tabindex=\"-1\" id=\"1-He-denies-hate-speech-on-Twitter-has-spiked\" class=\"ssrcss-y2fd7s-StyledHeading e1fj1fc10\"><span role=\"text\">1. He denies hate speech on Twitter has spiked<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"ssrcss-11r1m41-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">Mr Musk refused to accept there was more hateful content on the platform since he took over.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"ssrcss-11r1m41-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/technology-64804007\" class=\"ssrcss-k17ofw-InlineLink e1no5rhv0\">Speaking to the BBC earlier this year<\/a>, some Twitter insiders have argued that the company is no longer able to protect users from trolling, state-coordinated disinformation and child sexual exploitation, following lay-offs and changes under owner Mr Musk.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"ssrcss-11r1m41-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">In March, Twitter said it removed 400,000 accounts in one month alone to help &#8220;make Twitter safer&#8221;.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"ssrcss-11r1m41-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">In order to assess Mr Musk&#8217;s claims fully you&#8217;d need two things which we don&#8217;t have at present &#8211; access to Twitter&#8217;s data before and after his takeover and, crucially, a clear understanding of how he defines misinformation and hate speech. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"ssrcss-11r1m41-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">There is no blanket definition of hate speech under American law, which is generally much more permissive than other countries because of the first amendment to the US Constitution.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><h2 tabindex=\"-1\" id=\"2-He-voted-for-Joe-Biden\" class=\"ssrcss-y2fd7s-StyledHeading e1fj1fc10\"><span role=\"text\">2. He voted for Joe Biden<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"ssrcss-11r1m41-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">Close to half the country voted for Mr Trump in the last US election, Mr Musk said, but he added: &#8220;I wasn&#8217;t one of them. I voted for Biden.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"ssrcss-11r1m41-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">In another part of the interview, he defended ending a Twitter ban on Mr Trump who had been removed in 2021 when the platform accused him of inciting violence.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><h2 tabindex=\"-1\" id=\"3-He-says-Twitter-is-beating-the-bots-in-war-on-disinfo\" class=\"ssrcss-y2fd7s-StyledHeading e1fj1fc10\"><span role=\"text\">3. He says Twitter is beating the bots in war on disinfo<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"ssrcss-11r1m41-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">Mr Musk claimed his efforts to delete bots &#8211; automated accounts &#8211; had decreased misinformation on Twitter after his takeover.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"ssrcss-11r1m41-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">&#8220;My experience is there is less misinformation rather than more,&#8221; he told our reporter.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"ssrcss-11r1m41-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">Some outside experts disagree. A <a href=\"https:\/\/www.newsguardtech.com\/special-reports\/twitter-misinformation-superspreaders-see-huge-spike-in-engagement-post-acquisition-by-elon-musk\/\" class=\"ssrcss-k17ofw-InlineLink e1no5rhv0\">study from Newsguard<\/a> which tracks online misinformation  &#8211; and there are quite a few other studies along the same lines &#8211; found that engagement with popular, misinformation-spreading accounts spiked after Mr Musk&#8217;s takeover.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"ssrcss-11r1m41-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">In the week following his acquisition of Twitter, the most popular, untrustworthy accounts enjoyed an almost 60% increase in engagement in the form of likes and retweets, according to the survey.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"ssrcss-11r1m41-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">The BBC <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/technology-64554381\" class=\"ssrcss-k17ofw-InlineLink e1no5rhv0\">has also independently analysed<\/a> more than 1,000 previously-banned accounts that had been let back on Twitter after Mr Musk&#8217;s takeover, and found that since being reinstated, over a third of them had spread abuse or misinformation.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"ssrcss-11r1m41-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">This included false anti-vax claims, misogyny and anti-LGBT rhetoric, and the denial of the 2020 US election result. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><h2 tabindex=\"-1\" id=\"4-Hes-against-banning-TikTok\" class=\"ssrcss-y2fd7s-StyledHeading e1fj1fc10\"><span role=\"text\">4. He&#8217;s against banning TikTok<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"ssrcss-11r1m41-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">Musk says he doesn&#8217;t use the most downloaded app in the US but he is against any moves to close it down.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"ssrcss-11r1m41-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">The US is considering a ban due to security concerns over TikTok&#8217;s Chinese ownership. Some other countries have banned it from the phones of government employees.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"ssrcss-11r1m41-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">&#8220;I&#8217;m generally against banning things,&#8221; said Mr Musk, although he says a ban would benefit Twitter because it may mean more people spending time on his platform.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><h2 tabindex=\"-1\" id=\"5-He-would-turn-down-44bn-for-Twitter\" class=\"ssrcss-y2fd7s-StyledHeading e1fj1fc10\"><span role=\"text\">5. He would turn down $44bn for Twitter<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"ssrcss-11r1m41-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">Elon Musk claims that if someone offered to buy Twitter for what he paid for it, he&#8217;d refuse. But is that true? Remember, Musk desperately tried to back out of the deal.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"ssrcss-11r1m41-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">Musk claims Twitter had just months left to live when he took over and was being run like a non-profit.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"ssrcss-11r1m41-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">Twitter&#8217;s costs were outstripping the amount of revenue it was generating. In its last full-year results published before Musk took over, total sales hit $5bn in 2021 but costs and expenses reached $5.5bn. In fact, it has only had two profitable years since 2012.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"ssrcss-11r1m41-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">Musk reckons Twitter is now close to breaking even. No wonder &#8211; sacking 6,500 workers does tend to lighten one&#8217;s costs.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"ssrcss-11r1m41-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">But he has also been proactive in finding ways to boost sales through things such as changing Twitter users for &#8220;blue tick&#8221; verification.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"ssrcss-11r1m41-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">So yes, Twitter might be nearing breaking even now because of drastic cost-cutting. But the question is whether it can sustain that path to profitability and make the company worth that $44bn price tag.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><h2 tabindex=\"-1\" id=\"6-He-will-back-down-on-how-BBC-is-labelled\" class=\"ssrcss-y2fd7s-StyledHeading e1fj1fc10\"><span role=\"text\">6. He will back down on how BBC is labelled<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"ssrcss-11r1m41-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">Musk confirmed he would change the BBC Twitter label from &#8220;government funded&#8221; to &#8220;publicly funded&#8221; after last week&#8217;s row.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"ssrcss-11r1m41-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">The BBC had objected to the original description, stressing the corporation&#8217;s independence. It is mainly funded by the British public through a TV licence fee.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"ssrcss-11r1m41-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">In Wednesday&#8217;s interview, Musk said: &#8220;If we use the same words as the BBC uses to describe itself, that presumably would be OK.&#8221; <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"ssrcss-11r1m41-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">The licence fee made up about 71% of the BBC&#8217;s total income of \u00a35.3bn in 2022 &#8211; with the rest coming from its commercial and other activities like grants, royalties and rental income.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"ssrcss-11r1m41-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\">The BBC also receives more than \u00a390m per year from the government to support the BBC World Service, which predominantly serves non-UK audiences.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"ssrcss-11r1m41-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph eq5iqo00\"><i class=\"ssrcss-xbdn93-ItalicText e5tfeyi2\">Reporting by Reality Check team, BBC Monitoring and Dearbail Jordan, business reporter<\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>[ad_2]<br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/world-us-canada-65251160?at_medium=RSS&#038;at_campaign=KARANGA\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[ad_1] This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Media caption, Watch: Elon Musk&#8217;s unexpected BBC interview&#8230; in 90 seconds &hellip; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":34403,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[6],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/fusefornews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34402"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/fusefornews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/fusefornews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fusefornews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fusefornews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=34402"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/fusefornews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34402\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fusefornews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/34403"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/fusefornews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=34402"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fusefornews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=34402"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fusefornews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=34402"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}