The Washington Post reports:
The company formerly known as Twitter has begun slowing the speed with which users can access links to the New York Times, Facebook and other news organizations and online competitors, a move that appears targeted at companies that have drawn the ire of owner Elon Musk.
The delayed websites included X’s online rivals Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky and Substack, as well as the Reuters wire service and the Times. All of them have previously been singled out by Musk for ridicule or attack.
The delay affects the t.co domain, a link-shortening service that X uses to process every link posted to the website. Traffic is routed through the domain, allowing X to track — and, in this case, throttle — activity to the target website, potentially taking away traffic and ad revenue from businesses Musk personally dislikes.
Read the full article.
Click the link. If you can. https://t.co/IOe7rx0uHZ
— Molly Jong-fast (@MollyJongFast) August 15, 2023
“Musk, a self-described ‘free speech absolutist,’ did not respond to requests for comment.” https://t.co/l6xXsTwryA
— Nick Confessore (@nickconfessore) August 15, 2023
