The last few months have been a rollercoaster for the social network Twitter, and the company has had to deal with tremendous pressures. Last week, Elon Musk completed the purchase, and now owns Twitter. And what did he do in his first week as CEO? He fired half of the employees, distributed subscription fees to users with Blue V and answered critics around the company’s policy team and the possible Wild West. These are the tweets that tell the story of the purchase of Elon Musk and Twitter:
On Friday last week, Elon Musk completed the purchase and tweeted: “The bird is free.”
the bird is freed
– Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 28, 2022
Already on the same day, Musk had time to publish his future planning for content management on the social network: Twitter will establish a content management council with different points of view, and no major content decisions will take place before the council convenes.
Twitter will be forming a content moderation council with widely diverse viewpoints.
No major content decisions or account reinstatements will happen before that council convenes.
– Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 28, 2022
Twitter is known for its immediacy, and especially for the fact that it is textual. But in recent years, TikTok has entered the playing field and made followers consume short, high-intensity videos. Musk tweeted and asked if it was worth bringing back Vine, a social network for short videos (up to about 6 seconds long).
Bring back Vine?
– Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 31, 2022
Musk spoke a lot about the return of the former president of the United States, Donald Trump, to the social network. The United States is going to the midterm elections, and Trump’s return can have a big impact on the elections in general. Musk joked about the situation and said that if he got a dollar for every time someone asked him if he was coming back – Twitter would be drowning in money
If I had a dollar for every time someone asked me if Trump is coming back on this platform, Twitter would be minting money!
– Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 31, 2022
One of Elon Musk’s big moves already at the beginning of the week, is to pay subscription fees to the upper section of the company’s users – those who own the Blue Hoi. Twitter has an existing paid route called Twitter Blue, currently a feature that is available in selected countries, but allows various features only for those who pay. Musk realized that he could expand the entrants to the track – if he introduced the Blue Vee feature into that track. It is a blue boy next to the username that verifies the identity of the account.
Musk initially wanted to force users to pay $20 to keep their branding. After a huge uproar on Twitter, Musk lowered the price and changed it to $8.
– Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 1, 2022
Although the criticism continued to flow, Musk wanted to show the entire internet that he was on the right track. He tweeted: “Twitter is simply the most interesting place on the internet. That’s why you’re reading this tweet right now.” Alongside this, he added a criticism of those who are willing to pay about 8 dollars for a drink at Starbucks, a product that they will only enjoy for 30 minutes, while paying for a Blue V is 8 dollars for 30 days.
Twitter is simply the most interesting place on the Internet. That’s why you’re reading this tweet right now.
– Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 2, 2022
– Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 2, 2022
But the pressures directed at Twitter and Musk are enormous: Musk tweeted that the social network is recording a massive decrease in revenue, due to advertisers who decided to stop advertising on Twitter. Companies such as General Mills, Volkswagen Group, General Motors and Toyota – have announced that they are suspending their paid activities on Twitter, because they want to test the new direction in which Twitter is going. Beyond the fact that many companies compete with Elon Musk’s Tesla, organizations such as the Anti-Defamation League and GLAAD have increased pressure on other brands not to advertise on Twitter. Musk blamed those activist groups that exert pressure, saying that they are “trying to destroy freedom of speech in America.”
Twitter has had a massive drop in revenue, due to activist groups pressuring advertisers, even though nothing has changed with content moderation and we did everything we could to appease the activists.
Extremely messed up! They’re trying to destroy free speech in America.
– Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 4, 2022
In recent days, there has been a lot of talk about Elon Musk’s layoff plans around Twitter. Before the purchase, it was reported that Musk would lay off 75% of the company’s employees. The report has since been denied, but last week it was reported that Musk is firing about half of the company’s eighty 7,500 employees worldwide. In the last day, many Twitter employees tweeted on the social network and told how they were fired, most of them almost by surprise. A former employee wrote: “I just received a message saying that I have been remotely disconnected from my work computer and removed from Slack”
well, my entire team just got locked out. officially an ex-Tweep. it’s been a wild ride ???????? #OneTeam
– neeks (@neeks_cap) November 4, 2022
Just got a text telling me I’m remotely logged out of my work laptop and removed from Twitter Slack. Which is to say the least surprising, apparently I have been working at Twitter for the last two years without even realising it. #OneTeam
– MuteDialog ???????? (@MuteDialog) November 4, 2022
Another employee wrote: “It’s been a year since I worked in a place I never imagined I’d ever get to work in. I’m glad I could represent Africa and I didn’t let us down. Without a doubt the best experience of my career, and it was beautiful while it lasted.”
It’s been a year working at a place I never imagined I’ll ever get to work.I’m glad that I could represent for Africa & I didn’t let us down. My best career experience by far & it was beautiful whilst it lasted.Much love to all the amazing tweeps that made it worth it. #OneTeam
– Mastermind (@mistameister) November 4, 2022
In response to the layoffs, Musk responded on Twitter: “Regarding reducing Twitter’s workforce, unfortunately there is no choice when the company is losing over $4 million per day.” He added, everyone who was fired was offered “3 months of layoff, which is 50% more than required by law.”
Regarding Twitter’s reduction in force, unfortunately there is no choice when the company is losing over $4M/day.
Everyone exited was offered 3 months of severance, which is 50% more than legally required.
– Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 4, 2022
The former CEO of Twitter and one of its founders, Jack Dorsey, broke a real silence, and spoke about the layoffs. He wrote on Twitter today: “Twitter members past and present are strong and durable. They will always find a way no matter how hard the moment is. I understand that many are angry with me. I take responsibility for the reason everyone is in this situation: I grew the size of the company too fast. I apologize for that.” In response to this tweet, he wrote: “I am grateful and love everyone who has ever worked at Twitter. I don’t expect it to be mutual at this moment… or ever… and I understand.”
Folks at Twitter past and present are strong and resilient. They will always find a way no matter how difficult the moment. I realize many are angry with me. I own the responsibility for why everyone is in this situation: I grew the company size too quickly. I apologize for that.
– jack (@jack) November 5, 2022
Many have criticized Musk in recent months for turning Twitter into a wild west where everything can be written. The head of safety and integrity at Twitter since 2018, Joel Roth, wrote on Twitter today: “While we said goodbye to incredibly talented friends and colleagues yesterday, our core content management capabilities remain in place.” According to him, the layoffs affected about 15% of the integrity and safety teams, with the layoffs least affecting the front-line content management team. And at the top of the team’s priorities: the mid-term elections in the United States.
Yesterday’s reduction in force affected approximately 15% of our Trust & Safety organization (as opposed to approximately 50% cuts company-wide), with our front-line moderation staff experiencing the least impact.
– Yoel Roth (@yoyoel) November 4, 2022
To sharpen the message, Elon Musk made it clear in the clearest way: “Again, to be crystal clear, Twitter’s strong commitment to content management remains unchanged.” According to him, hate speech on Twitter has sometimes decreased, contrary to what was reported in the media.
Again, to be crystal clear, Twitter’s strong commitment to content moderation remains absolutely unchanged.
In fact, we have actually seen hateful speech at times this week decline *below* our prior norms, contrary to what you may read in the press.
– Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 4, 2022
And that is just the beginning. Elon Musk comes to change what he wants, how he wants and how much he wants. And in which tweet does he do it? “Get dirty on me all day, but it will cost you 8 dollars.”
Trash me all day, but it’ll cost $8
– Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 5, 2022