Warner Norcross + Judd LLP Partner Brian D. Wassom discussed Elon Musk’s $44B acquisition of Twitter and its implications for the social media platform and for free speech on a WOOD TV interview today.
In the ranging ten-minute interview, Wassom suggested he has cautious optimism for the deal, citing Musk’s pledge to reduce the number of automated Twitter “bots” as beneficial. Wassom said: “Automated Twitter accounts are posting information according to a computer program. They are not real people, but are posing as real people, seeking to influence public perception. Fake accounts spreading propaganda are a threat to the health of society. What walks hand-in-hand with that is [Musk’s plan] to authenticate real users, taking steps to ensure users’ identity to the extent possible, creating genuine conversation which is good for a democratic society.”
Wassom concluded with a reminder that “social media is not an end-all be-all of conversation. Real people interacting in face-to-face conversation and getting opposing points of view – not just relying on our favorite Twitter stream – is the best way to really inform ourselves.”
To watch the full WOOD TV interview, click here.
Wassom is a futurist at heart who tracks legal issues arising from a wide range of cutting-edge technologies. He is chair of Warner’s Emerging Media and Technology Group and has developed a particular focus on matters of creative expression, First Amendment rights, commercial identity and privacy, which spans the legal doctrines of copyright, trademark, privacy, publicity rights, advertising, journalism and related fields.
About Warner
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