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Elon Musk, the richest man in the world, owner of Space X and the car manufacturer Tesla, bought the social network Twitter, Tuesday April 26. 44 billion dollars for this nugget of American tech. What is the billionaire trying to do with this takeover?
It’s hard to read across the lines with Elon Musk. But why so is he buying twitter, this network where the businessman is very present with its 86 million subscribers. But that is not profitable. It’s actually far from a fanciful or simply narcissistic purchase.
For Olivier Lascar, journalist and author of the forthcoming investigative book Elon Musk the man who defies science, there is a plan behind it: He wants to weigh in on the public debate in a way that will suit him. We see that in his various companies, Elon Musk is increasingly beginning to have the problem of the law. Twitter will be its relay of influence. This will allow him to have the ear of politicians, and thus have the keys that will allow him to move forward in these technologies that he wants to develop. »
This is the case with Neuralink, his brain implant project that creates electrical currents through the body. Trials are planned on humans by the end of the year. Today, it is allowed on the brains of people suffering from Parkinson’s disease, for example, but prohibited for healthy people.
A global strike force
Some also see it as a political act. Because Twitter is still 300 million regular users around the world. Elon Musk says he buys Twitter for freedom of expression. He had strongly criticized the banishment of Donald Trump in January 2021.
Freedom of expression on Twitter, Elon Musk spoke about it two weeks ago during a TedX conference: I think it’s very important that there is an arena for free speech. Twitter has become a public square anyway. It is important that people who use it can speak freely. Within the limits of the law of course. So something Twitter should do is open source their algorithm. Make all edits to people’s tweets transparent. So that there is no fear of possible manipulation. »
► To read also: What future for Twitter after its takeover by Elon Musk?
This is Elon Musk’s great theory: freedom of expression on social networks is not really one. It is not total. Politically, he defines himself as a libertarian. Zero rules, zero laws, no hindrance to their right to do business.
A radical liberal with limitless ambition, and who is not short of a contradiction, explains Olivier Lascar. ” There’s kind of a contradictory promise that Twitter is the ultimate agora and it’s going to be amplified, unlocked by a Musk property. Because in fact, Twitter will be owned by a single individual, when he champions freedom of expression. “, he analyzes.
Elon Musk will prove to be particularly skilful in the early 2000s. With his 180 million dollars in shares, he simultaneously launches into space with Space X and into the automobile with Tesla.
A desire to make history
« He is often presented as a genius inventor. This is not necessarily the case because there are many inventions associated with him and of which he is not the author. He is more of a trend sniffer, he will settle in a creation that is not his, but that he will transform to his measure “, deciphers Olivier Lascar.
Elon Musk is a powerful narcissus. He does not necessarily have electoral ambitions, but with the takeover of Twitter, he proves once again that he wants to be the only gondola head in what works. Many see it as a danger, because for a few minutes, we have been talking about the richest man on the planet.