Elon & Twitter

[JohnSnowNW]

It's unfortunate that China went with the hide the ball approach to this disaster.
It's also disturbing that there were those in media and the US government that "condemned", canceled, de-platformed, de-legitimized, called racist, or banned those who gave some credence or consideration to the lab leak theory.

I think it's important to remember that the same people that latched onto the virus being of "lab origin" were also pushing other pseudo-science nonsense at the time. Which didn't help with credibility. Acknowledgement of the theory, which there was even less evidence of at the time, wouldn't have had an impact on the outcome of, or the response to, the pandemic.

I will also say this, you'd think that the Chinese would have had a leg up in combating the virus if it was something they were working on in a lab...but I've seen no evidence of this.

 

[Bet TSLA]

Interesting piece. It's nice to see some analysis coming from outside of Twitter. At this point I pretty much discount anything Elon says about what's happening at Twitter.

Misinformation superspreaders are thriving on Musk-owned Twitter

Key results 1. A study of 490 “misinformation superspreaders” (here defined as accounts that have repeatedly published popular tweets linking to known misinformation) shows that their collective popularity has significantly grown (on average, +42% interactions per

healthfeedback.org

Here are a few excerpts.

Misinformation superspreaders are thriving on Musk-owned Twitter​

...
1. A study of 490 “misinformation superspreaders” (here defined as accounts that have repeatedly published popular tweets linking to known misinformation) shows that their collective popularity has significantly grown (on average, +42% interactions per tweet) since Elon Musk took effective control of the platform on 27 October 2022.

Accounts from established and credible media organizations have not benefited from a similar increase (-6% in the average number of interactions per tweet), suggesting an empowerment specific to sharers of misinformation.
...
3. Four out of the five accounts that have gained the most influence have received replies from Elon Musk’s personal account to at least one of their top ten tweets. It is most likely that these tweets went viral because of Elon Musk’s decision to reply and bring them to the attention of his 128 million followers, pointing to a direct responsibility of Twitter’s new owner in the growth of misinformation superspreaders’ popularity.
...
catturd2

A account with 1.4 million followers, whose ownership Rolling Stone traced to a Florida man in his fifties, posting commentary usually expressing dissatisfaction with established institutions using colloquial language. Much of its popularity can be traced back to its frequent interactions with former U.S. president Donald Trump.
...
With the exception of Kevin Sorbo, replies from Elon Musk’s official account feature prominently in the highest-performing tweets from the accounts that have gained the most influence since the takeover.
...

 

[JRP3]

With the exception of Kevin Sorbo, replies from Elon Musk’s official account feature prominently in the highest-performing tweets from the accounts that have gained the most influence since the takeover.

That's the really weird part.

 

[jabloomf1230]

I will also say this, you'd think that the Chinese would have had a leg up in combating the virus if it was something they were working on in a lab...but I've seen no evidence of this.

If the researchers were trying to develop a vaccine, then you would be correct. Even if they were attempting to weaponize the virus, you still might be correct. But it's more likely that the Wuhan scientists were conducting mundane basic research and had no idea at that time that this specific virus could jump from bats to other mammals. Maybe that pathway was what they were studying.

In any event, before the first case of COVID-19 was reported, there were fears that biohazard protocols at Wuhan were not strict enough, given the nature of the research. A lab accident and a potential leak of a harmful virus was a concern in 2018:

Coronavirus: Is there any evidence for lab release theory?

BBC News examines allegations that the coronavirus was accidentally released from a lab.

www.bbc.com

The possibility that an accident might have caused the pandemic should demonstrate that a biohazard treaty is needed that would define protocols for managing such laboratories. Would that ever happen? I really doubt it. Bioweapons are an important area of research by many countries, both from an offensive and defensive standpoint.

I don't particularly care if China was responsible for a leak of the COVID-19 virus. I do want some assurance that future incidents will be handled in an open manner, so that a coordinated international approach could be undertaken without delay.

 

[Crutonius]

All of this lab leak theory completely misses the point. Whether or not it was a leak is irrelevant.

When China learned the nature of this virus, they banned national flights but still kept international flights going.

 

[Norbert]

I think it's important to remember that the same people that latched onto the virus being of "lab origin" were also pushing other pseudo-science nonsense at the time. Which didn't help with credibility. Acknowledgement of the theory, which there was even less evidence of at the time, wouldn't have had an impact on the outcome of, or the response to, the pandemic.

I will also say this, you'd think that the Chinese would have had a leg up in combating the virus if it was something they were working on in a lab...but I've seen no evidence of this.

The "lab origin" theory was always one of the possibilities considered (and still is). There were always reasonable people who considered one or the other possibility a bit more likely. I don't understand why some Twitter warriors who just pushed the theory without real evidence are being given credit for having spoken 'the' truth as if they discovered it by some act of courage facing the government (and as if all other theories are already refuted). As if they wouldn't understand the difference between "wrong" and "without real evidence".

From the beginning, there were three main explanations: 1) natural transmission which got spread at the Wuhan market, 2) a researcher infected by accident, 3) lab animals secretly sold to the Wuhan market by maintenance personnel.

The problem wasn't the theory as such, but the frenzy created around it which poisoned the whole discussion, as if it came form Steve Bannon's playbook: "The Democrats don’t matter, the real opposition is the media. And the way to deal with them is to flood the zone with sh** .”

 

[Buckminster]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1632045408674250759

Coin - Elon not happy with Dogecoin progress?

 

[B@ndit]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1632045408674250759

Coin - Elon not happy with Dogecoin progress?

When do you think he’ll drop his NFT collection?

 

[STS-134]

Seems like these outages are becoming longer/more frequent: Twitter down for more than an hour around world

 

[Buckminster]

Seems like these outages are becoming longer/more frequent: Twitter down for more than an hour around world

Haven't seen an outage in the UK myself in months. It did seem to slow down for a while though.

 

[italian bread]

The "lab origin" theory was always one of the possibilities considered (and still is). There were always reasonable people who considered one or the other possibility a bit more likely. I don't understand why some Twitter warriors who just pushed the theory without real evidence are being given credit for having spoken 'the' truth as if they discovered it by some act of courage facing the government (and as if all other theories are already refuted). As if they wouldn't understand the difference between "wrong" and "without real evidence".

From the beginning, there were three main explanations: 1) natural transmission which got spread at the Wuhan market, 2) a researcher infected by accident, 3) lab animals secretly sold to the Wuhan market by maintenance personnel.

The problem wasn't the theory as such, but the frenzy created around it which poisoned the whole discussion, as if it came form Steve Bannon's playbook: "The Democrats don’t matter, the real opposition is the media. And the way to deal with them is to flood the zone with sh** .”

Hasan Minhaj Talks Lab Leak Revelations & Dilbert Author's Racist Rant | The Daily Show

The energy department is one of nine intelligence groups that have assessed COVID's origins:

Two have said lab leak.
Five say it came out of natural causes.
Two say they don't know.

 

[italian bread]

All of this lab leak theory completely misses the point. Whether or not it was a leak is irrelevant.

When China learned the nature of this virus, they banned national flights but still kept international flights going.

Sorta like how Musk re-opened his factory against local U.S. government COVID guidance (risking people getting infected and spreading it further) and downplayed COVID? But he doesn't criticize Chinese government COVID guidance?

Elon Musk Defies Lockdown Orders and Reopens Tesla's Factory

Musk has been skeptical of the risks of Covid-19 and critical of California officials’ response. In March he tweeted that “coronavirus panic is dumb” and predicted that US cases would “negligible” by the end of April. (They were not.)

 

[Norbert]

The energy department is one of nine intelligence groups that have assessed COVID's origins:

Two have said lab leak.
Five say it came out of natural causes.
Two say they don't know.

I'd guess they all say you they can't exclude the other possibility.

 

[Bet TSLA]

I'd guess they all say you they can't exclude the other possibility.

Well, you don't have to guess about the new energy department assessment. They said their conclusion is "low confidence".

 

[Crutonius]

Hmm... low confidence from the energy department is obviously enough to assume that it was leaked from a lab but just to be sure I want to wait to see what the Rural Electrification Administration and Federal Board of Tea Experts have to say about the matter.

 

[SouthFLGuy]

Twitter is down: twitter.com

{"errors":[{"message":"Your current API plan does not include access to this endpoint, please see https://developer.twitter.com/en/docs/twitter-api for more information","code":467}]}

Maybe things like this happen when you fire everyone and don't appreciate the ones you have left? It looks like they blocked themselves LOL

 

[DarkandStormy]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1632792942262747136

lol

$8/month and can't get consistent app performance. What a business plan!

 

[DarkandStormy]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1632799515999625216

Elon is not well.

 

[Bouba]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1632799515999625216

Elon is not well.

Perhaps they aren’t bodyguards....just his mates from South Africa

 

[Crutonius]

Haven't seen an outage in the UK myself in months. It did seem to slow down for a while though.

I haven't seen it outright fail but I have seen a lot of erratic behavior. Mostly content in the "following" tab doesn't reliably load anymore.