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| Happy Thursday! It's Michelle Maltais, managing editor for Money & Consumer News, still sugared up as I pick away at my family's Halloween candy stash to write my very first Talking Tech newsletter. |
| Is it any surprise much of the talk of the week remained focused on Twitter and its "Chief Twit" in its first seven days under new ownership? The week started out with new primary owner Elon Musk putting out there that Twitter Blue, the company's subscription service that offers users verification and other benefits, would come with a $20 price tag. |
| That drew a lot of response from folks, including Twitter user and author Stephen King, who said he'd be "gone like Enron" if he had to pay for the blue verification checkmark. Musk's answer? How about an immediate price reduction? Blue going now for only $8, he said. |
| But the $8 "power to the people" price cut may not be enough to keep some on the platform. About half of users surveyed said they wouldn't pay, according to a recent survey conducted by The Harris Poll. |
| Plus, for some, the specter of hate speech and toxicity permeating the platform has sent some for the exit. High-profile celebs such as producer Shonda Rhimes and musician Sara Bareilles have made their departure declarations and tweeted their final farewells. |
| Some users who hear Musk's plans for turning Twitter into an "everything app" have one concern top of mind: Data privacy. The company has a history of missteps when it comes to guarding user data. If Twitter begins collecting more data, including payment info to be able to charge, experts say the company will need to build up trust it won't misplace or misuse that data. |
| One area of expectation generally – for some, elation and for others, trepidation – is that former president Donald J. Trump, banned from the platform, will make a return to Twitter soon , as Musk had indicated that was on his to-do list prior to buying the social media company. At least for now, Musk says Twitter will not reinstate banned accounts until the company develops "a clear process to do so," meaning suspended users like Trump won't be allowed back for "at least a few more weeks." |
| And some of the questions surrounding whether to stay or go have to do with issues of privacy. USA TODAY Tech columnist Jennifer Jolly lays out what you can do to tune up your privacy settings right now on Twitter. And for those turned off by heightened rhetoric and incivility that seems to come with the territory, thank you to the USA TODAY's Life team for some suggestions on how to disengage from the hate speech, polarization and toxicity often found on social media. |
What else happened in tech? |
| The music stops in October. Spotify Wrapped doesn't include any listening data from the last two months of the year. |
| Is buying a new TV worth it? You may be able to spruce up the one you have with these tips. |
| Comcast is upping upload speeds. But for now, you'll need a premium bundle. |
Thursday tech tip |
| I'm an Android user, having unplugged from the Apple ecosystem around iPhone X. But I'd be remiss if I didn't share these useful tips for our iOS-using readers out there. Columnist Kim Komando offers these five tips to beefing up your phone's security, including how to block that creep who won't stop bugging you. |
| That's a wrap this week. Thanks for reading. |
| Follow Michelle Maltais on Twitter: @mmaltaisla |
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