Two of the most honest words in journalism are “I don’t know”. Those words come in handy now, as the entire tech and media universe digests Elon Musk’s strange, always unpredictable deal to make Twitter private, meaning no shares on the stock exchange. What will Musk do? What will Twitter become? Maybe not even Musk knows.
So whether the best era of Twitter is about to begin, or if this is the beginning of the end for the service, let’s be honest, nobody knows. Here’s what we know, in the form of tweets:
>> This deal “puts the richest man in the world in charge of one of the most influential social networks,” as CNN’s Clare Duffy and Donie O’Sullivan wrote.
>> This “would mark one of the biggest acquisitions by a tech company and would likely affect the direction of social media,” the Wall Street Journal staff wrote.
>> Musk said his starting bid, $54.20 a share, was his “best and last offer” and sure enough, that’s exactly what Twitter’s board accepted 11 days later.
Nothing changes in the short term. The negotiation process will take several months. Musk may not take control of Twitter until mid-October.
>> Musk made some promises to users, including “making algorithms open source to increase trust, defeat spam bots, and authenticate all humans.” Now he will be bound to them.
>> In the US, ideological reactions to the agreement followed predictable lines. A headline on the front page of the Wall Street Journal read: “Republicans cheer for agreement; Democrats see dangers.”
>> Regarding questions about whether Musk will reinstate Donald Trump’s account, CEO Parag Agrawal told employees, “Once the deal is done, we’ll know which direction the platform will go.”
eight questions
>> How was Twitter’s first quarter?
The company will still report first-quarter earnings on Thursday, but in light of the deal, there will not be an analyst conference call.
>> “What does Musk think Twitter is for?”
That’s what Casey Newton asked in his Platformer newsletter on Monday night. “All we have to go on is a series of cryptic tweets and statements that are short enough to allow for broad interpretation.”
>> When will Musk come up with his plans? Will he do it through Twitter or through methods that allow for more detail and nuance?
>> Will Twitter employees want to work for Musk?
Some reacted to the Musk takeover “with shock and dismay,” reported Elizabeth Dwoskin of the Washington Post. “Some tweeted tear-filled emojis and memes of people having emotional meltdowns, while others told The Post they were too shocked to speak.”
>> What will happen to Twitter’s current leadership team?
At a general meeting on Monday, Agrawal said he was “optimistic” about the company’s future, saying that Musk “wants Twitter to be a powerful, positive force in the world, just like we all do.” But it’s hard to imagine Agrawal standing still.
>> What will be the role of Jack Dorsey, co-founder of the network?
On Monday night, he tweeted that “Elon’s goal of creating a platform that is ‘maximum trust and broadly inclusive’ is the right one. This is also the objective [de Agrawal] and the reason why I chose it. Thank you both for getting the company out of an impossible situation. This is the right way… I believe it with all my heart.”
>> And the Twitter headquarters?
SF Chronicle’s Roland Li signaled the possible ramifications for the city, as Musk expressed “skepticism about remote work”.
>>How controversial will Musk vs. Jeff Bezos? As The Verge’s Richard Lawler noted, “Jeff Bezos is already testing Elon Musk’s commitment to free speech by trolling” Musk with some Monday night tweets about China…
>>Trump will come back?
The short answer, according to CNN reporter Oliver Darcy, is that it’s too early to tell. Trump himself insisted to Fox on Monday that even if he were allowed to return to the platform, he would not return and would instead choose to use his own Truth Social app. But it’s hard to see the former president, someone clearly addicted to Twitter, turning down the opportunity to use the platform if he were allowed, Darcy points out.
The question really is this: Will Twitter, under Musk’s ownership, reverse its decision to ban him? When it comes to free speech, Musk has made it very clear in what direction he wants to take the platform…
Brian Lowry adds: “For conservatives who are complaining about being discriminated against on social media, Musk acquiring Twitter could end up being a ‘Be careful what you wish for’ moment. And while there’s a marketing aspect to this concept of being a victim of Big Tech, it can be hard to let go of, no matter what changes the new ownership brings to the platform….”
Source: CNN Brasil
I am Sophia william, author of World Stock Market. I have a degree in journalism from the University of Missouri and I have worked as a reporter for several news websites. I have a passion for writing and informing people about the latest news and events happening in the world. I strive to be accurate and unbiased in my reporting, and I hope to provide readers with valuable information that they can use to make informed decisions.
