Last night, surprising details about Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter in October of the previous year were unveiled by his biographer, Walter Isaacson. It was revealed that during this takeover, Musk, the billionaire known for his innovation and unconventional approaches, made quite a stir at the social media company.
Initially, Musk found Twitter’s chirpy bird logo amusing. However, as he delved deeper into the company, he became repulsed by how the logo seemed to be everywhere in their offices. Since Musk’s takeover, Twitter has undergone numerous changes, including his decision to charge users for verification and the abrupt termination of hundreds of employees.
The final days leading to the ownership transfer were marked by tension. Just two days before the $44 billion acquisition was set to be completed, Musk visited Twitter’s headquarters in San Francisco. There, he was struck by the bright art-deco building but quickly grew disgusted by the bird symbol synonymous with the company.
For months, Musk had been planning to rebrand the iconic blue Twitter logo with his own X label, a domain he had acquired years earlier. He envisioned turning X into an “everything app” that would handle both financial and social matters. Musk had initially considered transforming payment giant PayPal into X but was met with resistance from business partners who thought the idea sounded questionable.
In the lead-up to the takeover, Musk contemplated starting his own social media company similar to Twitter but ultimately decided that purchasing the company was the better option. However, he soon regretted the hefty $44 billion price tag, and the dispute nearly ended up in a Delaware Court. Musk was confident he could win the battle, reportedly telling his lawyers about the Twitter executives, “They are worried about the mess they’re in.”
Eventually, his legal team convinced him that reducing the agreed-upon sum through a court battle was unlikely, and he reluctantly accepted the deal.
On a Wednesday, October 26, Musk visited Twitter’s HQ to prepare for the deal’s finalization. Walter Isaacson described Musk as someone who “relishes dark and stormy drama rather than chipper and light chattiness.” During his visit, Musk walked around the offices, expressing his disdain for the blue logo and what he perceived as a “woke-mind virus” that had taken over the company.
However, in true Musk style, he decided to expedite the process. Instead of waiting until the next morning, he devised a calculated plan to dismiss the senior leadership before their stock would vest, a move described as “audacious, even ruthless.” At 4:12 PM on a Thursday, Musk received confirmation that his money had been transferred, and he sealed the deal. Simultaneously, the executives’ Twitter email accounts were shut down, and hand-delivered termination letters were given to then-CEO Parag Agrawal and three other leaders, preventing them from resigning beforehand. Just six minutes later, Musk was informed that they had all been removed from the building, solidifying his takeover.
Since becoming the company’s owner, Musk has implemented a series of controversial changes, including the removal of users’ ability to block other accounts, except in private messages. This decision has raised concerns about increased abuse on the platform, potentially affecting users’ mental health. Despite the criticism, co-founder and former CEO Jack Dorsey supported the move.
Additionally, Musk has announced plans to introduce audio and video calls to the platform, bringing it closer to social media giants like Meta. However, this move has sparked concerns among users, with fears of increased harassment and scams. There are also concerns that unsolicited calls may become a future issue.
As Musk continues to make his mark on Twitter, the platform’s future remains uncertain, and users are closely watching the evolving landscape of this popular social media platform.
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