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Science & Tech
Greg Evans
Oct 28, 2022
Elon Musk fires top Twitter executives as he completes takeover
IndyTV
After months and months of speculation and negotiating billionaire Elon Musk has finally completed his purchase of Twitter for an eye-watering $44bn.
The world's richest man, 51, appeared to confirm media reports of his takeover of Twitter, tweeting shortly before 5am (UK time) on Friday: “the bird is freed”.
The billionaire’s chief criticism of the social media platform has been its policing of “free speech”. Musk is expected to speak to Twitter employees directly on Friday if the deal is finalised, according to an internal memo cited in several media outlets.
Despite internal confusion and low morale tied to fears of layoffs or a dismantling of the company’s culture and operations, Twitter leaders this week have at least outwardly welcomed Mr Musk’s arrival and messaging.
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Musk's takeover has been greeted with mixed emotions by those who regularly use Twitter. Musk has reportedly already moved to fire several of the company top executives including Twitter's boss Parag Agrawal.
The South African entrepreneur wants to bring an element of 'free speech' back to the website something that some felt the likes of Agrawal and previous owner Jack Dorsey were attempting to curtail.
However, by doing this, some fear that Musk may unleash a wave of abuse and trolls back on to Twitter, with some also fearing that he could welcome back some of its more infamous former users.
Many top accounts, including the Washington Post's technology reporter Taylor Lorenz, have compared Musk's takeover to the 'gates of hell opening.'
\u201cIt\u2019s like the gates of hell opened on this site tonight\u201d— Taylor Lorenz (@Taylor Lorenz) 1666928279
\u201cFight for twitter's soul has been going on for years. The right kept flocking to other echo chambers... but always came crawling back. Big changes are coming and suspect we'll see a rush of left leaning people to other platforms. Also suspect reports of twitter death premature\u201d— Otto English (@Otto English) 1666941125
\u201cthe important thing about Elon buying twitter is we all have to act like Tumblr after Yahoo bought it. devalue this platform. make it much worse. stop "driving engagement" and start depression posting. block every promoted tweet. we can do this.\u201d— Hazel Southwell (@Hazel Southwell) 1666938427
\u201cElon Musk lifting all permanent bans and lo, Twitter becomes Shitter.\u201d— Emma Kennedy\ud83d\udc99 (@Emma Kennedy\ud83d\udc99) 1666941182
\u201cDemocrats.\n\nPlease do not leave Twitter.\n\nIt's not the right time.\n\nIt's not the right answer.\u201d— Don Winslow (@Don Winslow) 1666940333
\u201cI'm still here. For now.\u201d— Randi Mayem Singer (@Randi Mayem Singer) 1666919681
Those of a more right-wing persuasion have celebrated Musk's purchase of Twitter.
\u201cExpose the algorithms, @elonmusk ALL of them!!!\u201d— Tomi Lahren (@Tomi Lahren) 1666920362
\u201cRT if you\u2019re going to start using Twitter more now that @elonmusk just took over, walked into HQ like a boss, and fired the CEO.\u201d— Dan Crenshaw (@Dan Crenshaw) 1666921650
\u201cElon Musk has taken control of @Twitter per @wsj and immediately fired the CEO and CFO. This is going to fucking amazing.\u201d— Clay Travis (@Clay Travis) 1666918318
\u201cDo these companies have a problem with the Taliban, Chinese authorities committing genocide against the Uyghurs or Iranian despots being on Twitter?\nNope, didn\u2019t think so.\u201d— Dan Wootton (@Dan Wootton) 1666942129
Some are slightly more optimistic about what the future might hold.
\u201cElon Musk has indicated he will oppose Big Tech censorship and support free speech. \n\nThat\u2019s something all freedom-loving people can get behind.\u201d— Sen. Marsha Blackburn (@Sen. Marsha Blackburn) 1666920338
\u201cWe are hurtling in the wrong direction on climate. \n\nThough this can be a powerful organizing space, it is a more powerful time wasting space. \n\nA more powerful space for depressing, demoralizing + dividing us. \n\nLess Twitter might mean more planet.\n \nhttps://t.co/rGAUSRwI5M\u201d— Naomi Klein (@Naomi Klein) 1666928661
Others have just chosen to make jokes because that's mostly what Twitter does in situations like this.
\u201cElon is good. Elon is protect us and kind man. Everything is happpy today. From Richad Twitter.\u201d— Richard Osman (@Richard Osman) 1666940242
\u201cElon Musk adding Donald Trump, Katie Hopkins and Tommy Robinson back onto Twitter\u2026\u201d— Michael Morgan (@Michael Morgan) 1666940840
\u201cTrump gonna be tweeting by the AM lol\u201d— Ashley Reese (@Ashley Reese) 1666918390
\u201cWelcome to \ud835\udde1\ud835\uddd8\ud835\uddea \ud835\udde7\ud835\uddea\ud835\udddc\ud835\udde7\ud835\udde7\ud835\uddd8\ud835\udde5\n\nWhen you receive \ud835\udff0\ud835\udfee\ud835\udfec \ud835\udddf\ud835\udddc\ud835\uddde\ud835\uddd8\ud835\udde6 you will earn \ud835\udfed \ud835\udde0\ud835\udde8\ud835\udde6\ud835\uddde \ud835\uddd5\ud835\udde8\ud835\uddd6\ud835\uddde. When you earn \ud835\udff2\ud835\udff5 \ud835\udde0\ud835\udde8\ud835\udde6\ud835\uddde \ud835\uddd5\ud835\udde8\ud835\uddd6\ud835\uddde\ud835\udde6 you can say \ud835\uddd4 \ud835\udde6\ud835\udddf\ud835\udde8\ud835\udde5\u201d— Ben Rosen (@Ben Rosen) 1666922731
\u201cThe next logical step is to block Twitter.\u201d— Waqas (@Waqas) 1666940741
\u201cHow Twitter will change now that Elon Musk owns it\u201d— medster101 (@medster101) 1666940863
\u201cI vote for chaos i.e. we all start posting on Instagram like it\u2019s twitter.\u201d— Dr. Samantha Montano (@Dr. Samantha Montano) 1666918167
\u201c'I'm quitting Twitter' is the new 'I'm moving to Canada'\u201d— David MacLean (@David MacLean) 1666928544
Additional reporting by PA.
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