Platformer, which is run by Managing editor of Platformer Zoë Shiffer and Casey Newton, founder and editor of Platformer, posted “Twitter stiffs Google”.
“Twitter has refused to pay its Google Cloud bills as its contract comes up for renewal this month, Platformer has learned, leading to a high-stakes conflict between the companies that could result in Twitter’s trust and safety teams being crippled, Platformer reported.
While Twitter hosts some services on its own servers, the company has long contracted with Google and Amazon to complement its infrastructure. Prior to Musk buying Twitter last year, the company signed a multi-year contract with Google to host services related to fighting spam, removing child sexual abuse material, and protecting accounts, among other things.
Twitter has been trying to renegotiate its contract with Google since at least March, The Information reported that month. It had also delayed payments to Amazon Web services, leading the company to threaten withholding advertising payments.”
Elon Musk-run Twitter has reportedly refused to pay Google Cloud bills as its contract comes up for renewal this month, International Business Times reported. According to a report in Platformer, unless Twitter pays up or works something out, “its access could be cut off on June 30th when their contract ends.”
Prior to Musk acquiring the micro-blogging platform for $44 billion in October last year, the company signed a multi-year contract with Google to host services related to fighting spam, removing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and protecting accounts.
If Twitter fails to pay Google Cloud, its trust and safety teams can be left “crippled”, International Business Times reported.
Smyte, a company Twitter acquired in 2018 that offers tools to stop abuse and harassment, is among the services currently running on Google Cloud Platform.
Engadget reported that Twitter is reportedly rushing to move as many services off of Google’s infrastructure before the contract expires, but the effort is “running behind schedule,” putting some tools, including Smyte, a platform the company acquired in 2018, to bolster its moderation capabilities in danger of going offline.
According to Engadget, if Twitter can’t migrate the system to its own servers before the end of the month, Platformer suggests that a shutdown would greatly impact the company’s ability to combat spam and child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Before Saturday, Smyte had already been showing signs of strain, following Elon Musk’s deep cuts to Twitter’s workforce.
My best guess is that Elon Musk won’t pay his Google Cloud bill at all. I find it disturbing that his lack of paying those bills could flood Twitter with spam, CSAM, and other horrible things. I’m starting to wonder if not paying his bills is a big joke to Elon Musk.