Climate deniers wanting to block action and “greenwashing” companies could have free reign on Twitter after Elon Musk’s takeover, analysts warned as leaders at the COP27 summit pursued anti-warming efforts.
The Tesla billionaire and self-proclaimed freedom of speech absolutist has fired thousands of employees – including sustainability executives Sean Boyle and Casey Junod, who opted out of the platform last week.
Musk has promised to reduce Twitter’s content restrictions and announced after the acquisition that he would set up a “Content Moderation Council” to review the policy.
“It is not clear what Mr Musk is really up to. However, if he shuts down all attempts at content moderation, we can expect a deluge of disinformation and an increase in misleading and greenwashing advertising,” said Professor Naomi Oreskes of the history of science at Harvard University, who has authored leading studies on climate misinformation.
“Greenwashing” means companies misleading the public through messages and symbolic gestures about their impact on the planet.
“We may also see an increase in hateful comments directed at climate scientists and advocates, especially women,” Oreskes said.
After the takeover, a climate journalist tweeted that he had received death threats on the platform. He did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
– Sustainability manager deleted –
Researchers and activists say that despite measures being heralded by social platforms, climate misinformation is thriving, undermining belief in climate change and the actions needed to combat it.
Twitter and other tech giants like Facebook and Google have said they are acting to make false claims less visible.
But the think tank Institute for Strategic Dialogue said in a detailed study this year that messages aimed at “denying, deceiving and delaying” climate action were rife on social media.
Twitter’s pre-acquisition policy stated, “Misleading advertising on Twitter that contradicts the scientific consensus on climate change is prohibited.”
“We believe that climate denial should not be monetized on Twitter and that misleading ads should not distract from important conversations about the climate crisis,” Boyle and Junod wrote in an Earth Day post on the Twitter blog.
Both posted messages on Nov. 4 with the hashtag “LoveWhereYouWorked,” indicating they were among those fired following Musk’s $44 million acquisition. They did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
– Scientists at Risk –
Misinformation aside, some specialists have warned that if moderation falters, climate scientists themselves will be threatened.
A spate of hate speech prompted Twitter’s head of safety and integrity, Yoel Roth, to respond and try to allay concerns. He tweeted that the platform’s “core moderation capabilities will remain.”
Musk wrote on Nov. 4 that “Twitter’s strong commitment to content moderation remains absolutely unchanged.”
“I’m concerned that under Musk’s leadership, scientific untruths will find a bigger platform on Twitter,” said Genevieve Guenther, founder of the media activist group End Climate Silence.
“But I’m even more concerned that the site is beginning to disappoint climate scientists and advocates who criticize right-wing views, preventing them from connecting with each other and with decision-makers in the media and government.”
– Blue ticks on COP? –
Musk’s plans include an $8 monthly fee for users to have a blue tick next to their name – currently a mark of authenticity for officials, celebrities, journalists and others.
“To me, this opens the door to highly coordinated disinformation and manipulation,” said Melissa Aronczyk, associate professor of communications and information at Rutgers University.
Musk said the move aims to reduce hate speech by making it too expensive for trolls to have multiple accounts.
Aronczyk argued that the system would bring a mark of authenticity to those willing to pay for a blue tick to advance an agenda.
She pointed to the controversy surrounding Hill+Knowlton Strategies – a public relations firm that works for big fossil fuel companies – which has reportedly been hired by host Egypt to do public relations for the COP27 summit.
“Imagine every Hill+Knowlton employee working for COP27 creating a network of Blue Check accounts to support company-led initiatives at the summit. Or downplaying the conflicts. Or to ignore protests,” said Aronczyk.
“It basically makes corporate greenwashing the standard way of communicating around climate change.”
