Twitter said Sunday it would ban links to other social media services and suspend accounts that try to direct users to alternative platforms, in an apparent attempt to stem user defections to competitors.
But Twitter CEO Elon Musk later relented, loosening the policy and causing widespread confusion about what kind of linking was allowed and disallowed on the platform.
Under the new policy stated Sunday afternoon, links to content on Facebook and Instagram would be prohibited, as well as links to content on emerging Twitter alternatives, including Mastodon and Post. The rule also covers Truth Social, the Twitter clone backed by former President Donald Trump.
Twitter’s move signals a shift toward a more closed environment, one that still accepts incoming traffic from other sites but makes it more difficult for users to leave Twitter’s website for other destinations.
“Specifically, we will remove accounts created solely for the purpose of promoting other social platforms and content that contains links or usernames for the following platforms: Facebook, Instagram, Mastodon, Truth Social, Tribel, Nostr and Post,” Twitter’s support account tweeted.
Despite the bans, Twitter said the new policy will still “allow paid advertisement/promotion for any of the prohibited social media platforms.”
Hours after the policy’s rollout, Musk appeared to relent under criticism by other users and agreed to loosen the rules. In an exchange involving Box CEO Aaron Levie — who called the new policy “sad” — Musk agreed it was “reasonable” that some might want to link to their Instagram profiles to promote their own businesses.
“Policy will be adjusted to suspending accounts only when that account’s *primary* purpose is promotion of competitors, which essentially falls under the no spam rule,” Musk tweeted.
The tweet has since been deleted from the @TwitterSupport account.
Then, amid the continuing backlash, Musk opened a Twitter poll asking whether he should “step down as head of Twitter.”
“I will abide by the results of this poll,” Musk wrote.
As of early Sunday evening, “Yes” was winning by a margin of 58% to 42%.