Former Twitter lawyer launches rival platform with novel content moderation

• Stephen Coates, a former Twitter trademark lawyer, launched Twitter.now.
• The platform aims to give users control over the content they see, rather than relying solely on algorithms.
• VERA AI is designed to assess posts, verify claims, provide sources, and assign trust scores.
• Users will be able to set minimum trust score thresholds for their feeds.
• X (formerly Twitter) is suing Operation Bluebird for trademark infringement.

Stephen Coates, a former Twitter trademark lawyer, has launched a new social network called Twitter.now, which is currently in early testing. The platform, developed by his startup Operation Bluebird, aims to offer a distinct approach to content moderation by empowering users to control what they see.

Coates described the moderation strategy as "freedom of speech and not freedom of reach," allowing users to express themselves lawfully without guaranteeing broad dissemination of their content. The platform features a VERA AI system designed to assess posts, verify claims, provide context, and assign a trust score. Future iterations plan to allow users to set a minimum trust score, effectively filtering out content they deem harmful, untruthful, or adult-oriented.

This user-centric moderation model contrasts with the algorithm-driven engagement models common on social media. Coates acknowledged the challenge of competing in a crowded market, stating, "It's a grand experiment, and I don't know if we have sights to be bigger than X." He expressed a desire to "build a better mousetrap and see if people will come."

Operation Bluebird is facing a significant legal hurdle, as X has sued the startup for trademark and copyright infringement, seeking to block the launch. Coates' team argues that X abandoned its trademarks, including "Twitter" and "tweet," after Elon Musk renamed the platform. A recent court hearing saw Chief Judge Colm F. Connolly express skepticism about X's evidence for the "tweet" and bird logo trademarks, though a written decision on the injunction request is pending.