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Acquisition of Twitter by Elon Musk (edit)
Revision as of 12:12, 11 December 2022
, 11 December 2022clean up
Kannadaguy (talk | contribs) (Created page with "{{Short description|Business acquisition in 2022}} {{Use American English|date=April 2022}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox acquisition | logo = Twitter-logo.svg | logo_size = 80px | initiator = Elon Musk | target = Twitter, Inc. | type = All-cash full acquisition | cost = {{US$|44 billion|link=yes}} | initiated = April 14, 2022 | completed = October 27, 2022 }} {{Elon Musk series}} An acquisition of American [...") |
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The next day, Twitter confirmed in an SEC filing that Musk was now the "sole director" of the company following the board's dissolution.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Klar |first=Rebecca |date=October 31, 2022 |title=Elon Musk named sole director of Twitter, dissolves board |url=https://thehill.com/policy/technology/3712742-elon-musk-named-sole-director-of-twitter-dissolves-board/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221031185352/https://thehill.com/policy/technology/3712742-elon-musk-named-sole-director-of-twitter-dissolves-board/ |archive-date=October 31, 2022 |access-date=November 1, 2022 |newspaper=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]]}}</ref> | The next day, Twitter confirmed in an SEC filing that Musk was now the "sole director" of the company following the board's dissolution.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Klar |first=Rebecca |date=October 31, 2022 |title=Elon Musk named sole director of Twitter, dissolves board |url=https://thehill.com/policy/technology/3712742-elon-musk-named-sole-director-of-twitter-dissolves-board/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221031185352/https://thehill.com/policy/technology/3712742-elon-musk-named-sole-director-of-twitter-dissolves-board/ |archive-date=October 31, 2022 |access-date=November 1, 2022 |newspaper=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]]}}</ref> | ||
On | On 1 November 2022 Musk announced that Twitter's Blue Tick check mark could now be bought by the public for $8 a month. Prior to Musk's acquisition of Twitter the tick had been free to confirmed high profile users.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-63478854 | title=Elon Musk says $8 monthly fee for Twitter blue tick | work=BBC News | date=November 2022 }}</ref> | ||
== Reactions == | == Reactions == | ||
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Online reception to Musk's completion of the purchase was mixed.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Blasi |first=Weston |date=October 28, 2022 |title=Elon Musk's Twitter takeover has mixed response: 'What could possibly go wrong?' |url=https://www.marketwatch.com/story/elon-musks-twitter-takeover-brings-out-mixed-reactions-on-social-media-what-could-possibly-go-wrong-11666975851 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221028172225/https://www.marketwatch.com/story/elon-musks-twitter-takeover-brings-out-mixed-reactions-on-social-media-what-could-possibly-go-wrong-11666975851 |archive-date=October 28, 2022 |access-date=October 30, 2022 |publisher=[[MarketWatch]]}}</ref> According to Memetica, a digital investigations company, several far-right figures experienced a significant increase in followers after the deal was finalized, while many [[Progressivism in the United States|progressives]] experienced a significant decrease, although it is unclear if Musk's takeover drove the changes in followers.<ref name="Followers">{{Cite news |last1=Frenkel |first1=Sheera |last2=Thompson |first2=Stuart A. |date=October 28, 2022 |title=Some far-right accounts on Twitter saw surge in new followers, researchers say. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/28/technology/twitter-far-right-followers.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221029074317/https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/28/technology/twitter-far-right-followers.html |archive-date=October 28, 2022 |access-date=October 29, 2022 |newspaper=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref> Multiple celebrities in the [[entertainment industry]] announced their departure from the platform,<ref name="Celebrities">{{Cite magazine |last=Hibberd |first=James |date=October 28, 2022 |title=Celebrities Say They're Quitting Twitter as Elon Musk Takes Over: "I'm Out of Here" |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/digital/elon-musk-twitter-celebrities-quit-1235250888/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221028204034/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/digital/elon-musk-twitter-celebrities-quit-1235250888/ |archive-date=October 28, 2022 |access-date=October 30, 2022 |magazine=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]}}</ref> while some left-wing influencers such as [[John Pavlovitz]] and [[Rob Reiner]] urged fellow leftists to remain on Twitter for the time being.<ref name=" | Online reception to Musk's completion of the purchase was mixed.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Blasi |first=Weston |date=October 28, 2022 |title=Elon Musk's Twitter takeover has mixed response: 'What could possibly go wrong?' |url=https://www.marketwatch.com/story/elon-musks-twitter-takeover-brings-out-mixed-reactions-on-social-media-what-could-possibly-go-wrong-11666975851 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221028172225/https://www.marketwatch.com/story/elon-musks-twitter-takeover-brings-out-mixed-reactions-on-social-media-what-could-possibly-go-wrong-11666975851 |archive-date=October 28, 2022 |access-date=October 30, 2022 |publisher=[[MarketWatch]]}}</ref> According to Memetica, a digital investigations company, several far-right figures experienced a significant increase in followers after the deal was finalized, while many [[Progressivism in the United States|progressives]] experienced a significant decrease, although it is unclear if Musk's takeover drove the changes in followers.<ref name="Followers">{{Cite news |last1=Frenkel |first1=Sheera |last2=Thompson |first2=Stuart A. |date=October 28, 2022 |title=Some far-right accounts on Twitter saw surge in new followers, researchers say. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/28/technology/twitter-far-right-followers.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221029074317/https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/28/technology/twitter-far-right-followers.html |archive-date=October 28, 2022 |access-date=October 29, 2022 |newspaper=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref> Multiple celebrities in the [[entertainment industry]] announced their departure from the platform,<ref name="Celebrities">{{Cite magazine |last=Hibberd |first=James |date=October 28, 2022 |title=Celebrities Say They're Quitting Twitter as Elon Musk Takes Over: "I'm Out of Here" |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/digital/elon-musk-twitter-celebrities-quit-1235250888/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221028204034/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/digital/elon-musk-twitter-celebrities-quit-1235250888/ |archive-date=October 28, 2022 |access-date=October 30, 2022 |magazine=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]}}</ref> while some left-wing influencers such as [[John Pavlovitz]] and [[Rob Reiner]] urged fellow leftists to remain on Twitter for the time being.<ref name="Followers" /><ref name="Celebrities" /> The Network Contagion Research Institute (NCRI) observed a 500 percent spike in the use of the racial slur "[[nigger]]" in the 12 hours after Musk completed the acquisition, while ''The Washington Post'' noted an increase in pro-[[Nazism|Nazi]], misogynistic, and anti-LGBT tweets.<ref name="HateSpeech" /> Basketball player [[LeBron James]] expressed concern over the NCRI's report, condemning "unfit people saying hate speech is free speech".<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Najib |first=Shafiq |date=October 29, 2022 |title=LeBron James Hopes Musk Takes Twitter Hate Speech Report 'Seriously' |url=https://people.com/sports/lebron-james-hopes-elon-musk-takes-report-of-huge-uptick-in-hate-speech-twitter-very-seriously/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221030043237/https://people.com/sports/lebron-james-hopes-elon-musk-takes-report-of-huge-uptick-in-hate-speech-twitter-very-seriously/ |archive-date=October 30, 2022 |access-date=October 30, 2022 |magazine=[[People (magazine)|People]]}}</ref> Twitter responded by saying that the accounts using racial slurs were part of a "[[Internet trolls|trolling campaign]]" and would be banned summarily.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sorace |first=Stephen |date=October 30, 2022 |title=Elon Musk responds to LeBron James' tweet about 'scary AF' racial slurs on Twitter |url=https://www.foxbusiness.com/technology/elon-musk-responds-lebron-james-tweet-scary-af-racial-slurs-twitter |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221030183145/https://www.foxbusiness.com/technology/elon-musk-responds-lebron-james-tweet-scary-af-racial-slurs-twitter |archive-date=October 30, 2022 |access-date=October 31, 2022 |publisher=[[Fox Business]]}}</ref><!-- Other --> | 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The ''[[New York Post]]'' editorial board congratulated Musk's purchase, saying that it will undermine progressives' "digital 'safe space' echo chamber".<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2022-10-28 |title=Elon Musk is bringing reality to the liberal Fantasyland of Twitter |url=https://nypost.com/2022/10/28/elon-musk-is-bringing-reality-to-the-liberal-fantasyland-of-twitter/ |access-date=2022-11-01 |website=[[New York Post]] |language=en-US}}</ref> Conversely ''[[The Guardian]]'' noted that [[Mastodon (software)|Mastodon]] with its numerous [[leftist]] [[Instance (computer science)|instance]]s experienced a increase of 70,000 new subscribers from the Twitter [[diaspora]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2022/nov/01/mastodon-twitter-elon-musk-takeover|title=Mastodon gained 70,000 users after Musk’s Twitter takeover. I joined them|date=November 2, 2022|website=the Guardian}}</ref> | The ''[[New York Post]]'' editorial board congratulated Musk's purchase, saying that it will undermine progressives' "digital 'safe space' echo chamber".<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2022-10-28 |title=Elon Musk is bringing reality to the liberal Fantasyland of Twitter |url=https://nypost.com/2022/10/28/elon-musk-is-bringing-reality-to-the-liberal-fantasyland-of-twitter/ |access-date=2022-11-01 |website=[[New York Post]] |language=en-US}}</ref> Conversely ''[[The Guardian]]'' noted that [[Mastodon (software)|Mastodon]] with its numerous [[leftist]] [[Instance (computer science)|instance]]s experienced a increase of 70,000 new subscribers from the Twitter [[diaspora]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2022/nov/01/mastodon-twitter-elon-musk-takeover|title=Mastodon gained 70,000 users after Musk’s Twitter takeover. I joined them|date=November 2, 2022|website=the Guardian}}</ref> | ||
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Media Matters for America president Angela Carusone warned that Musk's leadership would lead to an increase in disinformation, conspiracy theories, and harassment on Twitter.<ref name="FirstDay">{{Cite web |last=Knolle |first=Sharon |date=October 28, 2022 |title=Elon Musk's 1st Day at Twitter: N-Word, Pro-Nazi Tweets Go Unchecked |url=https://www.thewrap.com/elon-musk-twitter-hate-speech-twitter-takeover/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221028203036/https://www.thewrap.com/elon-musk-twitter-hate-speech-twitter-takeover/ |archive-date=October 28, 2022 |access-date=October 30, 2022 |website=[[TheWrap]]}}</ref> Literary group [[PEN America]] opined that the [[2022 U.S. midterm elections]] in November would serve as a test as to whether Musk would allow disinformation to spread rapidly on the platform,<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Milmo |first1=Dan |last2=Jolly |first2=Jasper |last3=Hern |first3=Alex |last4=Paul |first4=Kari |date=October 28, 2022 |title=Elon Musk completes Twitter takeover amid hate speech concerns |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2022/oct/28/elon-musk-twitter-hate-speech-concerns-stock-exchange-deal |url-status=live |url-access=limited |access-date=October 28, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221028162237/https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2022/oct/28/elon-musk-twitter-hate-speech-concerns-stock-exchange-deal |archive-date=October 28, 2022}}</ref> while American left-wing activist coalition Stop the Deal warned of real-world consequences if a rise in hate speech occurs on Twitter.<ref name=" | Media Matters for America president Angela Carusone warned that Musk's leadership would lead to an increase in disinformation, conspiracy theories, and harassment on Twitter.<ref name="FirstDay">{{Cite web |last=Knolle |first=Sharon |date=October 28, 2022 |title=Elon Musk's 1st Day at Twitter: N-Word, Pro-Nazi Tweets Go Unchecked |url=https://www.thewrap.com/elon-musk-twitter-hate-speech-twitter-takeover/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221028203036/https://www.thewrap.com/elon-musk-twitter-hate-speech-twitter-takeover/ |archive-date=October 28, 2022 |access-date=October 30, 2022 |website=[[TheWrap]]}}</ref> Literary group [[PEN America]] opined that the [[2022 U.S. midterm elections]] in November would serve as a test as to whether Musk would allow disinformation to spread rapidly on the platform,<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Milmo |first1=Dan |last2=Jolly |first2=Jasper |last3=Hern |first3=Alex |last4=Paul |first4=Kari |date=October 28, 2022 |title=Elon Musk completes Twitter takeover amid hate speech concerns |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2022/oct/28/elon-musk-twitter-hate-speech-concerns-stock-exchange-deal |url-status=live |url-access=limited |access-date=October 28, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221028162237/https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2022/oct/28/elon-musk-twitter-hate-speech-concerns-stock-exchange-deal |archive-date=October 28, 2022}}</ref> while American left-wing activist coalition Stop the Deal warned of real-world consequences if a rise in hate speech occurs on Twitter.<ref name="HateSpeech" /><ref name="ClosureReactions2" /> [[Anti-Defamation League]] CEO [[Jonathan Greenblatt]] said he was "cautiously optimistic" about the purchase, but expressed concerns over a potential rise in hate speech.<ref name="FirstDay" /> [[Fight for the Future]] director [[Evan Greer]] appreciated Musk's idea for a moderation council, but noted that Musk had supreme authority on any decisions made.<ref name="Imprint" /> [[Eliot Higgins]] of [[Bellingcat]] believed that Musk's attempts to promote free speech would backfire under increased government regulation.<ref name="ClosureReactions3" /> LGBTQ+ advocacy group [[Human Rights Campaign]] voiced concern at Twitter's new ownership and argued that Twitter has the responsibility to stop its platform from turning into a "dangerous media environment".<ref name="HateSpeech" /> | ||
== References == | == References == | ||