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The Latest Accusations Against Twitter May Not Help Elon Musk – But They Certainly Don’t Help Twitter

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Elon Musk Looks to Exit Twitter Takeover Due to Fake Profiles in the App

This week’s revelations of widespread security concerns at Twitter have left many divided as to what they actually mean, in the broader context of the app and the individuals involved. But one thing is certain – the accusations presented by former Twitter Security Chief Peter ‘Mudge’ Zatko highlight overall dysfunction within the company, which, at best, suggests that there could well be various internal issues and concerns that Twitter is working to keep hidden from the public.

As reported earlier this week, Zatko has accused Twitter executives of deceiving federal regulators, deliberately misleading the company’s board, and lying about the presence of bots and spam on the service.

The details are not definitive in each instance, but based on the overall statements and counter statements about Zatko’s experience at the app, it does seem that the main issues stem from Zatko’s lack of acceptance into the fold at Twitter HQ, and the resulting issues that has caused.

Which reflects internal dysfunction, as noted.

To recap, back in 2020, Twitter suffered the biggest hack in its history, which saw the accounts of major celebrities like Barrack Obama, Joe Biden and Elon Musk all suddenly start posting Bitcoin scam links.

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Twitter eventually traced this back to a human exploit – hackers had convinced a Twitter employee to give them access to the platform’s control console, which enabled them to take over any account they wanted. But in the wake of the incident, then Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey reached out to Zatko, who has years of high-profile experience in dealing with cybersecurity, and asked him to come on board as head of security to ‘help the world’ by addressing the platform’s problems.

According to Zatko, and others who worked with him at the app, he then had limited contact with Twitter’s executive team, including Dorsey himself.

As per The Washington Post:

In 12 months, Zatko could manage only six one-on-one calls, all less than 30 minutes, with his direct boss Dorsey, who also served as CEO of payments company Square, now known as Block, according to the complaint. Zatko allegedly did almost all of the talking, and Dorsey said perhaps 50 words in the entire year to him. “A couple dozen text messages” rounded out their electronic communication, the complaint alleges.

This is an important note, because the hiring of Zatko, who’s career in the industry goes back some 27 years, now looks, potentially, like more of a PR stunt than anything, with Zatko also noting that, aside from Dorsey, other Twitter executives largely ignored his warnings on potential vulnerabilities within its systems.

Indeed, several former and current Twitter employees have since stated that Zatko wasn’t considered an authority within the company, despite his title, with one going so far as to call Zatko ‘a clown’, regardless of his historical achievements and status (though it is worth noting that, in Zatko’s time at the app, the platform’s backlog of safety cases shrunk from 1 million to 200,000, reflecting his contributions on at least some fronts).

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That being the case, it may be that Zatko didn’t have the level of access nor full oversight that he claims, while Zatko has also made extreme statements in the past in regards to perceived security vulnerabilities.

As per Yahoo Finance:

In 1998, Zatko testified to the Senate alongside his L0pht colleagues about critical internet infrastructure vulnerabilities. He said the group had discovered an exploit that would allow him and his colleagues to take the entire internet offline in 30 minutes.

Comments like this potentially weaken Zatko’s Twitter complaints, and again, on balance, it increasingly seems like Zatko had been bought into Twitter at least partially for PR purposes, which may also weaken his claims around the widespread dangers in the app.

But overall, what the situation really shows is that Twitter is all over the place.

The fact that Zatko was never fully integrated, and had trouble even getting a meeting with his boss, reflects a company in disarray, which could suggest that virtually anything that Twitter reports publicly isn’t entirely correct, based on miscommunication and conflicting incentives in the app.

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Could that mean that more than 5% of Twitter’s active users are fake or spam accounts? Sure, it seems like anything could be true, if the lines of communication are so conflicted and confused internally.

Indeed, according to Zatko’s testimony:

“In early 2021, as a new executive, Mudge (Zatko) asked the head of site integrity what the underling spam bot numbers were. Their response was ‘we don’t really know’. The company could not even provide an upper bound on the total number of spam bots on the platform. The site integrity team gave three reasons for this failure: (1) they did not know how to measure; (2) they were buried under constant firefighting and could not keep up with reacting to bots and other platform abuse; and, most troubling, (3) senior management had no appetite to properly measure the prevalence of bot accounts.”

Conflicting incentives, miscommunication and overall dysfunction are the real underlying revelations of Zatko’s statements, which means that everything he says could be true, and Twitter could be a mess. Or maybe none of it is 100% right.

Because no one really seems to know for sure, and that, in itself, is a concern for the company.

Does that help Elon Musk’s case, in trying to weasel out of his $44 billion Twitter takeover bid?

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Probably not. Twitter’s legal team is standing firm on the fact that the amount of bots and spam on the platform is immaterial, given the parameters of the original takeover agreement.

There is a prospect that pending fines that Twitter might face as a result of Zatko’s testimony could constitute Material Adverse Effect, and let Musk off the hook – but legal experts note that this is also unlikely as any investigation won’t be settled before the October trial date (note: Zatko will testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee next month).

But what we do know is that Twitter, internally, has many, many problems, which may well be why Musk wants to get away from the deal as fast as he can.

But he could be stuck, either way – which could put the future of the platform on shaky ground, as Musk eventually seeks to tear it all down in order to re-build it back up based on his own management vision.



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Snapchat Explores New Messaging Retention Feature: A Game-Changer or Risky Move?

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Snapchat Explores New Messaging Retention Feature: A Game-Changer or Risky Move?

In a recent announcement, Snapchat revealed a groundbreaking update that challenges its traditional design ethos. The platform is experimenting with an option that allows users to defy the 24-hour auto-delete rule, a feature synonymous with Snapchat’s ephemeral messaging model.

The proposed change aims to introduce a “Never delete” option in messaging retention settings, aligning Snapchat more closely with conventional messaging apps. While this move may blur Snapchat’s distinctive selling point, Snap appears convinced of its necessity.

According to Snap, the decision stems from user feedback and a commitment to innovation based on user needs. The company aims to provide greater flexibility and control over conversations, catering to the preferences of its community.

Currently undergoing trials in select markets, the new feature empowers users to adjust retention settings on a conversation-by-conversation basis. Flexibility remains paramount, with participants able to modify settings within chats and receive in-chat notifications to ensure transparency.

Snapchat underscores that the default auto-delete feature will persist, reinforcing its design philosophy centered on ephemerality. However, with the app gaining traction as a primary messaging platform, the option offers users a means to preserve longer chat histories.

The update marks a pivotal moment for Snapchat, renowned for its disappearing message premise, especially popular among younger demographics. Retaining this focus has been pivotal to Snapchat’s identity, but the shift suggests a broader strategy aimed at diversifying its user base.

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This strategy may appeal particularly to older demographics, potentially extending Snapchat’s relevance as users age. By emulating features of conventional messaging platforms, Snapchat seeks to enhance its appeal and broaden its reach.

Yet, the introduction of message retention poses questions about Snapchat’s uniqueness. While addressing user demands, the risk of diluting Snapchat’s distinctiveness looms large.

As Snapchat ventures into uncharted territory, the outcome of this experiment remains uncertain. Will message retention propel Snapchat to new heights, or will it compromise the platform’s uniqueness?

Only time will tell.

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Catering to specific audience boosts your business, says accountant turned coach

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Catering to specific audience boosts your business, says accountant turned coach

While it is tempting to try to appeal to a broad audience, the founder of alcohol-free coaching service Just the Tonic, Sandra Parker, believes the best thing you can do for your business is focus on your niche. Here’s how she did just that.

When running a business, reaching out to as many clients as possible can be tempting. But it also risks making your marketing “too generic,” warns Sandra Parker, the founder of Just The Tonic Coaching.

“From the very start of my business, I knew exactly who I could help and who I couldn’t,” Parker told My Biggest Lessons.

Parker struggled with alcohol dependence as a young professional. Today, her business targets high-achieving individuals who face challenges similar to those she had early in her career.

“I understand their frustrations, I understand their fears, and I understand their coping mechanisms and the stories they’re telling themselves,” Parker said. “Because of that, I’m able to market very effectively, to speak in a language that they understand, and am able to reach them.” 

“I believe that it’s really important that you know exactly who your customer or your client is, and you target them, and you resist the temptation to make your marketing too generic to try and reach everyone,” she explained.

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“If you speak specifically to your target clients, you will reach them, and I believe that’s the way that you’re going to be more successful.

Watch the video for more of Sandra Parker’s biggest lessons.

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Instagram Tests Live-Stream Games to Enhance Engagement

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Instagram Tests Live-Stream Games to Enhance Engagement

Instagram’s testing out some new options to help spice up your live-streams in the app, with some live broadcasters now able to select a game that they can play with viewers in-stream.

As you can see in these example screens, posted by Ahmed Ghanem, some creators now have the option to play either “This or That”, a question and answer prompt that you can share with your viewers, or “Trivia”, to generate more engagement within your IG live-streams.

That could be a simple way to spark more conversation and interaction, which could then lead into further engagement opportunities from your live audience.

Meta’s been exploring more ways to make live-streaming a bigger consideration for IG creators, with a view to live-streams potentially catching on with more users.

That includes the gradual expansion of its “Stars” live-stream donation program, giving more creators in more regions a means to accept donations from live-stream viewers, while back in December, Instagram also added some new options to make it easier to go live using third-party tools via desktop PCs.

Live streaming has been a major shift in China, where shopping live-streams, in particular, have led to massive opportunities for streaming platforms. They haven’t caught on in the same way in Western regions, but as TikTok and YouTube look to push live-stream adoption, there is still a chance that they will become a much bigger element in future.

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Which is why IG is also trying to stay in touch, and add more ways for its creators to engage via streams. Live-stream games is another element within this, which could make this a better community-building, and potentially sales-driving option.

We’ve asked Instagram for more information on this test, and we’ll update this post if/when we hear back.

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