Twitter CEO Linda Yaccarino Lays Out Her Dubious Plan For Twitter 2.0

We finally heard from the new Twitter CEO, Linda Yaccarino, yesterday when she tweeted out a string of incomprehensible statements masquerading as a company address. Although she has been tweeting updates since officially assuming her role at Twitter earlier this month, this is her first substantial message. Well, “substantial.”

Hello Twitter.
People keep asking me: Why Twitter?
So, I’ll tell you. 👇

— Linda Yaccarino (@lindayacc) June 12, 2023

Yaccarino is not someone who needs to brown-nose or provide cover for Musk, as she does in that thread. She formerly held positions as the Chairman of Global Advertising and Partnerships at NBCUniversal, the Executive Chair of the World Economic Forum, and the Ad Council. Additionally, she was a Trump appointee to the President’s Council on Sports Fitness and Nutrition. She has an impressive background and doesn’t require Elon or his struggling platform to advance her career.

According to a close associate, she apparently has a Superman complex. This implies that her relationship with Twitter is just as ego-driven as Elon’s. It should come as no surprise, then, that she echoes his stance on Maximum Free Speech being the solution to save the platform, society, and the world. However, coming from the advertising world, Linda should know better than to hold that view. Advertisers seek Brand Safety, which necessitates accountability. An “unfiltered exchange of information and open dialogue” does not provide a safe space for anyone, as we have witnessed since Elon took over the platform. When attempting to foster a functioning society, whether in person or on a digital platform, the term “unfiltered” essentially translates to “no action will be taken against hate speech.”

Nevertheless, Linda may not perceive it as hateful. As we’ve previously mentioned before, she follows numerous controversial accounts that propagate unchecked hate throughout the platform. We have speculated that her appointment might be part of an effort to transform Twitter into a more conservative outlet. Yaccarino’s thread from yesterday might support this theory.

Twitter is on a mission to become the world’s most accurate real-time information source and a global town square for communication. That's not an empty promise.

That’s OUR reality.

— Linda Yaccarino (@lindayacc) June 12, 2023

Balancing “real-time” and “accurate” information is challenging. Real-time often amplifies initial, sometimes incorrect, takes. Once misinformation spreads, it becomes difficult to retract. Low-information users tend to cling to such information and refuse to let go, even when new, accurate details emerge. Promoting Twitter as “the world’s most accurate real-time information source” will only contribute to the proliferation of misinformation, lies, and conspiracy theories disguised as “news.” Not that it isn’t already happening, but now it will be harder to ignore, considering it’s the platform’s official mission statement.

It appears that the devolution of Twitter will continue under Yaccarino’s leadership. Perhaps she and Elon perceive this as “saving” the platform—an open forum where every voice and opinion carries equal weight, regardless of education, experience, or expertise. A space where engaging with an insightful individual might lead one to believe that their own contribution—whether racist, transphobic, homophobic, or misogynistic nonsense—is equally significant and deserves to be heard.

Have you ever been talking with someone particularly insightful and thought, you should have the freedom to speak your mind. We all should.

Enter Twitter 2.0.

— Linda Yaccarino (@lindayacc) June 12, 2023