Twit-In-Chief is now in Residence

"Should Mr. Musk choose to remain a participant and provocateur on Twitter, it’s likely the platform is headed deeper into the world of toxicity and partisanship. If that happens, Twitter is doomed, from the perspective of advertising revenue."

"There’s little motivation for any advertiser to support a platform or proprietor who is likely to produce more pain than gain. In Mr. Trump’s case, his public statements have cost him business, beyond Truth Social, at his hotels and golf courses, including the indefinite removal of the Turnberry golf resort from the Open Championship schedule in Britain. It’s too early to say if the potential toxification of Twitter might affect Tesla and Mr. Musk’s other business interests, but it is fair to say that few have more to lose than the world’s richest person."

Rob Norman, The New York Times

Elon Musk's photo is seen through a Twitter logo in this illustration taken October 28, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration

 

Now that Elon Musk's $44B Twitter acquisition is reality, history will record whether the world's wealthiest tycoon with a myriad of far-reaching business interests that truly can be thought of as 'out-of-this-world', history will also tell whether as an investment Mr. Musk was bold and wise or over-reached in a sphere he had no business-related experience with, apart from his dislike of the way the social media platform operated and his stated penchant for returning 'free speech' to the much-criticized yet popular platform..

Most experts in the business world are skeptical whether he and his backers will recoup their faith in their decision to overpay for Twitter. Vanity project or commitment to the public good in releasing the fetters that placed limits to 'free speech? Business venture with great potential or a stumbling effort to prove that whatever this whiz-kid turned his considerable talents and vision to could not fail to succeed in his version of a bold new world...?

There are no end of doubters, from those in the world of finance down to the ordinary twit who regards Twitter as their home away from home and virtual social contact of necessity. Including those who vent their spleen and vomit hate at every opportunity. Will this man make a corporate decision on his new social media platform to accommodate the targets of hate by maintaining those efforts to keep racists and misanthropes and misogynists in check? Would he consider going even further and disinvite accounts of terrorist entities?

 

Jim Watson/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

 

The chief Twit of Twitter is considering charging a monthly fee for users; all users or some? Will everyone be glad to pay $8 monthly for the privilege of maintaining an account where if 'free speech' is unshackled to the moral public weal they will be subjected to ever more venomous messages of malice intended to harm? Twitter's current feeble efforts at removing the vile presence of abusers already has some subscribers in an uproar.

Will the platform operate itself, now that the decision has been made to reduce its workforce by half, dismissing 3,700 employees to start with? Mr. Musk has declared for the time being he is prepared to remain his new toy's CEO. The Twitter hierarchy knew full well their time had come with the completion of the handover, and speedily took to the platform to bid adieu. 

The appointment of new product leadership in Twitter's operation seems next on the agenda. The head of engineering, the general manager for consumer and revenue product are now unemployed. Employees are bemused and bewildered; who's on the firing list, who isn't -- yet? Managers have been asked to compile lists of those jobs meant to be cut. Ostensibly in an operational cost-cutting move. 

Mr. Musk is closing in on charging users for blue verification badges at $20 monthly, and already celebrities are preparing to refuse and sign off. Advertisers are wary; they won't want their brand associated with socially and culturally averse trash littering the Twitter landscape. They don't view Twitter as one of the world's most influential platforms, so it will be bye-bye, we're moving on. 

The new owner is also contemplating a greater focus on subscriptions, fewer content restrictions, the possibility of multiple algorithms for different timelines. Speculation abounds. Outrage is simmering preparatory of an explosive denunciation of a well-used platform springing leaks here, there and everywhere.

 

An image of Elon Musk is seen on a smartphone placed on printed Twitter logos in this picture illustration taken April 28, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration