Did the Musk Takeover Boost Contentious Actors on Twitter? (2212.10646v1)

Abstract: Twitter has been accused of a liberal bias in its account verification and content moderation policies. Elon Musk pledged, after his acquisition of the company, to promote free speech on the platform by overhauling verification and moderation policies. These events sparked fears of a rise in influence of contentious actors -- notably from the political right. In this article, I use a publicly released list of 138k Twitter accounts that purchased blue check verification during the open window of November 9-November 11, 2022. I retrieve 4.9m tweets from a sample of politically contentious accounts. I then compare engagement on contentious user posts before and after the Musk acquisition. I find that the period following the Musk acquisition saw a substantive increase in post engagement. There is no additional increase following blue tick verification. I explain the findings with reference to an increase in activity by a newly sympathetic user base.

• The paper reveals that the Musk takeover significantly increased engagement among politically contentious actors, with a 70% rise in retweets and a 14% increase in likes.
• The paper employs a robust panel analysis using OLS regression on 4.8 million tweets to assess shifts in engagement dynamics tied to verification policy changes.
• The paper discusses the broader implications for platform governance, highlighting how major policy shifts can reshape digital communication and online discourse.

Engagement Dynamics of Contentious Actors on Twitter Post-Musk Acquisition

Introduction

The Elon Musk takeover of Twitter in October 2022 marked a pivotal moment in the discourse surrounding social media governance, moderation policies, and the broader implications for digital communication. In the face of Musk's explicit commitment to overhauling Twitter's content moderation and verification practices, this study meticulously explores the resultant shifts in platform engagement, particularly focusing on politically contentious actors.

Methodological Approach

Leveraging a unique dataset comprising approximately 138,000 Twitter accounts that acquired blue check verification immediately following Musk's policy revisions, this investigation explores the engagement metrics of around 961 politically contentious profiles. Through a comprehensive analysis encompassing roughly 4.8 million tweets from these accounts, the study aims to dissect the nuances of engagement fluctuations pre and post Musk's takeover, further examining the impact of blue checkmark verification on these dynamics.

The analytic strategy employs a robust panel setup, accentuated by Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression models, to meticulously evaluate the influence of Musk's acquisition and subsequent verification policy changes on user engagement levels. This methodical approach ensures a nuanced understanding of the interplay between platform policy alterations and engagement trends among contentious actors.

Empirical Findings

The empirical analysis reveals a significant uptick in engagement for politically contentious actors following Musk's takeover of Twitter. Specifically, the study documents a roughly 70% increase in retweet engagement and a 14% rise in likes for posts emanating from these accounts. Intriguingly, this surge in engagement does not extend to the period when blue check verification became available, suggesting that Musk's acquisition itself, rather than the verification status, acted as the primary catalyst for enhanced engagement.

Notably, the analysis extends to a sample of general users who acquired blue check verification, uncovering a more modest increase in engagement (28% for retweets and 4% for likes) compared to contentious actors. This differential impact underscores the complex dynamics at play, suggesting that Musk's takeover resonated differently across the platform's user base.

Theoretical and Practical Implications

The findings expound on the critical role of platform governance and policy changes in shaping online engagement dynamics, particularly among politically contentious actors. Theoretically, the study contributes to the burgeoning discourse on the influence of platform moderation policies on digital communication practices. Practically, it underscores the potential ramifications of significant policy shifts within social media ecosystems, highlighting the intricate balance between fostering free speech and mitigating online harm.

Speculations on Future Directions

Considering the observed engagement shifts among contentious actors on Twitter, future research might explore the long-term implications of such policy overhauls on digital discourse and platform dynamics. Moreover, further investigations could explore the algorithmic aspects of engagement amplification post-policy changes, offering insights into the underlying mechanisms that facilitate or inhibit content visibility and user engagement on social media platforms.

In conclusion, this meticulous examination sheds light on the immediate aftermath of Elon Musk's acquisition of Twitter and its reverberations among politically contentious actors. The nuanced understanding of engagement dynamics post-policy changes underscores the profound influence of platform policies on the digital communication landscape, paving the way for continued exploration in this ever-evolving domain.