‘Discussed infiltrating Mexican border’
A counter-terror official says ISIS militants have discussed the possibility of entering the U.S. via the Mexican border over social media, but says the Department of Homeland Security believes the border currently remains safe. Francis Taylor, DHS undersecretary for intelligence and analysis:
There have been Twitter and social-media exchanges among ISIL adherents across the globe speaking about that as a possibility. [DHS is] satisfied that we have the intelligence and the capability at our border that would prevent that activity.
Joins Twitter
Snowden joins Twitter. He only follows a single account, the NSA.
Can you hear me now?
— Edward Snowden (@Snowden) September 29, 2015
Quits Twitter and Gawker
On the Re/code Decode podcast Dunham tells Swisher she has quit Twitter and Gawker citing verbal abuse and body-shaming.
I don’t look at Twitter anymore. I tweet, but I do it through someone else. I really appreciate that anybody follows me at all, and so I didn’t want to cut off my relationship to it completely, but it really, truly wasn’t a safe space for me.
She says the decision was prompted after she posted a picture of herself in her boyfriends’ shorts:
It wasn’t a graphic picture. I was wearing men’s boxers, and it turned into the most rabid, disgusting debate about women’s bodies, and my Instagram page was somehow the hub for misogynists for the afternoon.
She also says she has stopped reading Gawker and Jezebel:
I used to read Gawker and Jezebel in college and be like, ‘I can’t wait to get to New York where my people will be to welcome me.’ And it’s like, it’s literally, if I read it, it’s like going back to a husband who beat me in the face — it just doesn’t make any sense.
Official announcement
Twitter officially announces Dorsey is permanent CEO. Costolo leaves the board. Dorsey hires Bain as COO.
Our work forward is to make Twitter easy to understand by anyone in the world, and give more utility to the people who love to use it daily!
— jack (@jack) October 5, 2015
336 jobs cut
In a posting to the Securities and Exchange Commission, Twitter announces that 336 jobs will be cute, 8% of its workforce.
The restructuring is part of an overall plan to organize around the Company’s top product priorities and drive efficiencies throughout the Company. The Company intends to reinvest savings in its most important priorities to drive growth…The roadmap is also a plan to change how we work, and what we need to do that work. Product and Engineering are going to make the most significant structural changes to reflect our plan ahead. We feel strongly that Engineering will move much faster with a smaller and nimbler team, while remaining the biggest percentage of our workforce. And the rest of the organization will be streamlined in parallel.
Made some tough but necessary decisions that enable Twitter to move with greater focus and reinvest in our growth. http://t.co/BWd7EiGAF2
— jack (@jack) October 13, 2015
Character limit change
Dorsey says Twitter is considering to expand the character limit of tweets from 140 characters to 10 000.
https://twitter.com/jack/status/684496529621557248/photo/1
Musk SEC letter confirming Twitter purchase released
Musk’s letter [link] to the SEC, confirming purchase of Twitter, is released. The purchase is conditional on debt financing and a stay of action of the Twitter-Musk court case.
Gentlemen: On behalf of X Holdings I, Inc., X Holdings II, Inc. and Elon R. Musk (the “Musk Parties”), we write to notify you that the Musk Parties intend to proceed to closing of the transaction contemplated by the April 25, 2022 Merger Agreement, on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth therein and pending receipt of the proceeds of the debt financing contemplated thereby, provided that the Delaware Chancery Court enter an immediate stay of the action, Twitter vs. Musk, et al. (C.A. No. 202-0613-KSJM) (the “Action”) and adjourn the trial and all other proceedings related thereto pending such closing or further order of the Court.
Musk spoke to Kanye before Twitter block
Musk says he spoke to Kanye West to express his concerns about the musician’s recent tweet about Jewish people. Kanye’s account was locked just a day after he returned to the platform for the first time in nearly two years.
Talked to ye today & expressed my concerns about his recent tweet, which I think he took to heart
Talked to ye today & expressed my concerns about his recent tweet, which I think he took to heart
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 11, 2022
Zuckerberg: Musk Twitter deal ‘unclear’
Zuckerberg says he doesn’t know how Musk’s Twitter deal will turn out:
I don’t know. I think this is another one of these things that it’s really unclear how it’ll actually turn out. I think it’s interesting as a saga, like you’re saying, but I think even at this point, it’s not actually clear what’s going to happen.
Musk: ‘Obviously we’re overpaying for Twitter right now’
During Tesla’s third-quarter earnings’ call. Musk says that, while he is overpaying for Twitter now, it will be worth it in the long-term
I am excited about the Twitter situation. It’s an asset that has languished for a long time, but it has incredible potential. Although myself and the other investors are obviously overpaying for Twitter right now, the long-term potential for Twitter is an order of magnitude greater than its current value.”
The Twitter stock price on this day is $52.42, compared with Musk’s $54.20 offer.
Musk wants to fire 75% of Twitter staff
Elon Musk tells prospective investors that, after his purchase on October 28, he plans to get rid of nearly 75% of Twitter’s 7500 workers, reducing the staff to 2000. Musk has told investors that he plans to double revenue in three years, by reducing costs and tripling the number of users that can view ads.
In June, Musk said he didn’t see a reason low performers should remain employed. Twitter’s top lawyer sent out a note to all employees saying the company did not have any confirmation from Musk about his plans. Human resources staff at Twitter have told employees that they aren’t planning for mass layoffs, but documents show that extensive plans to cut staff and reduce infrastructure costs were already in place before Musk offered to buy the company. Those plans are currently on hold, until after the purchase.
Musk says Twitter deal will close on Friday
In a video call with bankers who are providing $13 billion in debt financing to his purchase of Twitter, Musk says that he will close the deal on Friday, 28 October. Musk has pledged to provide $46.5 billion in equity and debt financing for the acquisition, which covers the $44 billion price tag plus closing costs. Equity investors, including Sequoia Capital, Binance, Qatar Investment Authority and others have received paperwork for the financing commitment from Musk’s lawyers.
Musk has to comply with a Delaware court judge’s deadline to complete the transaction by the 28th. Twitter declined to comment.
Musk carries a sink into Twitter HQ
In a physical play on words, Musk walks into Twiter HQ carrying a sink
Entering Twitter HQ – let that sink in!
He also updated his Twitter bio to ‘Chief twitt’ and changed his location to Twitter headquarters.
Entering Twitter HQ – let that sink in! pic.twitter.com/D68z4K2wq7
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 26, 2022
Musk: ‘Dear Twitter Advertisers’
In a tweet titled, ‘Dear Twitter Advertisers’, Musk says he bought the company to ‘help humanity’, that it must be ‘warm and welcoming to all’ and that ‘ advertising, when done right, can delight, entertain and inform’:
I wanted to reach out personally to share my motivation in acquiring Twitter. There has been much speculation about why I bought Twitter and what I think about advertising. Most of it has been wrong. The reason I acquired Twitter is because it is important to the future of civilization to have a common digital town square, where a wide range of beliefs can be debated in a healthy manner, without resorting to violence. There is currently great danger that social media will splinter into far right wing and far left wing echo chambers that generate more hate and divide our society.
In the relentless pursuit of clicks, much of traditional media has fueled and catered to those polarized extremes, as they believe that is what brings in the money, but, in doing so, the opportunity for dialogue is lost. That is why I bought Twitter. I didn’t do It because it would be easy. I didn’t do it to make more money. I did it to try to help humanity, whom I love. And I do so with humility, recognizing that failure in pursuing this goal, despite our best efforts, is a very real possibility.
That said, Twitter obviously cannot become a free-for-all hellscape, where anything can be said with no consequences! In addition to adhering to the laws of the land, our platform must be warm and welcoming to all, where you can choose your desired experience according to your preferences, just as you can choose, for example, to see movies or play video games ranging from all ages to mature.
I also very much believe that advertising, when done right, can delight, entertain and inform you; it can show you a service or product or medical treatment that you never knew existed, but is right for you. For this to be true, it is essential to show Twitter users advertising that is as relevant as possible to their needs. Low relevancy ads are spam, but highly relevant ads are actually content! Fundamentally, Twitter aspires to be the most respected advertising platform in the world that strengthens your brand and grows your enterprise. To everyone who has partnered with us, I thank you. Let us build something extraordinary together.
Dear Twitter Advertisers pic.twitter.com/GMwHmInPAS
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 27, 2022
Musk to form Twitter ‘moderation council’
Musk says Twitter will be forming a ‘content moderation council’ to deal with account bans and reinstatements.
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
Musk comments on people pretending to be laid-off Twitter workers
Musk makes a comment about two men who claimed they were software developers laid off by Twitter, one of whom identified himself as “Rahul Ligma”, a name that does not appear in Twitter’s Slack or email system. There is no evidence that the employee exists on LinkedIn, while the name ‘Ligma’ an internet hoax designed to elicit the response “lick my balls” from people who are in on the joke.
Software engineer and his buddy got fired from @Twitter #ELONMUSK #Twitter #twitterhq #fired #TwitterTakeover #elonmusktwitter #twitter pic.twitter.com/RkDGXm3nAH
— Rezowan Siddique Reza (@Rezowan_) October 28, 2022
Musk responds:
Ligma Johnson had it coming
Ligma Johnson had it coming 🍆 💦 pic.twitter.com/CgjrOV5eM2
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 28, 2022
Musk: Twitter lawyers hid evidence
Musk shares internal Twitter communications that he says were hidden by Twitter’s lawyers, Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz. The messages were written by Yoel Roth, Head of Safety & Integrity at Twitter, apparently about Amir Shevat, Head of Product, alleging Shevat was using ‘fraudulent metrics’ and may be actively trying to hide the ball’, which was what Musk was accusing the company of. Roth’s messages:
But also lol if Amir continues to BS me my escalation route is “Amir’s OKRs are entirely based on fraudulent metrics ad he doesn’t care an may be actively trying to hide the ball”
Literally doing what Elon is accusing us of doing
Musk says:
Wachtell & Twitter board deliberately hid this evidence from the court. Stay tuned, more to come …
Wachtell & Twitter board deliberately hid this evidence from the court. Stay tuned, more to come … pic.twitter.com/CifaNvtRtt
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 31, 2022
Musk later clarifies that he supports Roth:
I want to be clear that I support Yoel. My sense is that he has high integrity, and we are all entitled to our political beliefs.
We’ve all made some questionable tweets, me more than most, but I want to be clear that I support Yoel. My sense is that he has high integrity, and we are all entitled to our political beliefs.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 31, 2022
Musk debates Twitter verification fee with King
After Stephen King complains that he will leave Twitter if he is made to pay $20 a month to keep his ‘blue tick’:
$20 to keep my blue check? F*** that, they should pay me. If that gets instituted, I’m gone like Enron
Musk debates the fee amount with him:
We need to pay the bills somehow! Twitter cannot rely entirely on advertisers. How about $8.
We need to pay the bills somehow! Twitter cannot rely entirely on advertisers. How about $8?
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 1, 2022
Musk jokes it will cost $8 to complain about Twitter
Musk says that it will cost $8 to complain about Twitter. He says he stole the idea from Monty Python sketch, called The Argument,
To all complainers, please continue complaining, but it will cost $8
Totally stole idea of charging for insults & arguments from Monty Python tbh https://t.co/oFKRyp3BS7
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 2, 2022
Musk: Twitter is a ‘collective, cybernetic super-intelligence’
Musk compares Twitter to a super-intelligent organism:
Because it consists of billions of bidirectional interactions per day, Twitter can be thought of as a collective, cybernetic super-intelligence…… with a lot of room for improvement
Followed up with:
A neuron doesn’t realize it’s a neuron
… with a lot of room for improvement
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 3, 2022