- To date, Twitter is one of the most popular social networks in the world thanks to its 436 million registered users.
- Recently it changed hands when it was acquired by tycoon Elon Musk.
- One of its first changes was to allow accounts to have an “authentication popcorn” by paying a monthly subscription.
Social networks emerged as a new form of communication that breaks down geographical distances. Now it is possible to keep abreast of what is happening anywhere in the world in real time. At the same time, it is also a medium in which it is common to receive distorted or false information (fake news). In the specific case of Twitter, an apocryphal publication about insulin has caused serious consequences.
In the first instance, digitization has increased since the health emergency. More and more people use this channel to interact because they can do it from anywhere. At present alone, it is estimated that 63 percent of the world’s population uses the Internet.
For its part, the variety of social networks available is becoming more extensive. Among the alternatives there is one that is in the midst of strong controversy. Is about Twitter for its recent change of ownership because it is now owned by tycoon Elon Musk.
According to Statista, it is an option that has 436 million users around the planet. Therefore, it is one of the most popular, although the publication of fake news is also common.
Fake news about insulin on Twitter causes serious damage
In that vein, a twitter post about insulin caused an avalanche of consequences that had a direct impact on a pharmaceutical company.
It all started when An account posing as the company Eli Lilly obtained the blue verification check mark through the payment of the Twitter Blue subscription. It is a modality implemented from the arrival of Musk. The most serious thing was when he made the following publication:
“We are excited to inform you that insulin is now free.”
The message was only available for a couple of hours until it was reported that @EliLillyandCo was a fake account. At that time it was blocked and the tweet was deleted immediately, although it was too late. During the time it was available it reached more than 1,500 retweets and 11,000 likes.
The message instantly went viral and caused several media outlets to publish it as if it were true. Due Eli Lilly shares fell 4.37% on the Stock Marketwhich means losses in the billions of dollars.
The first victim of the Musk era at the head of Twitter
Insulin is one of Eli Lilly’s flagship products to date because millions of people with diabetes around the world take it. That is why, by assuming that it would now be free, the pharmaceutical company had such great economic losses.
At the same time, the fake news about insulin on Twitter caused the first victim of the new decisions of Elon Musk at the head of this social network. His idea of allowing accounts to have an “authentication popcorn” by paying a monthly subscription has backfired and could cause more damage in the future.
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