PayPal has backed away from fining its own customers up to $2,500 for promoting whatever it determines is “misinformation.”
The punishment showed up in its updated acceptable use policy, captured by the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine on September 27, which was due to take effect on November 3. But the revision was deleted by the online payments giant around 2100 GMT on October 8. The biz’s current AUP was drafted September 20 last year and remains in effect.
PayPal has reportedly repudiated its planned AUP revision and characterized the snafu as an error.
PayPal did not immediately respond to a request to explain why it had second thoughts about the draft policy change. But it appears condemnation from former executive David Marcus and Tesla tycoon Elon Musk had something to do with the decision.
Marcus, ex-president of PayPal, spoke out about the AUP just after 1000 GMT on October 8, in rather forceful terms.
“It’s hard for me to openly criticize a company I used to love and gave so much to,” he said. “But @PayPal’s new AUP goes against everything I believe in. A private company now gets to decide to take your money if you say something they disagree with. Insanity.”
Musk, a short-lived CEO of PayPal in its very early days, took time out from echoing Russian and Chinese talking points to offer a supportive tweet to Marcus.
The mention of “misinformation” piqued the interest of various US Republicans who resent having provocative content moderated and have been trying to deny technology platforms moderation rights through federal and state legislation.
