Musk values Twitter at $20 billion
A person familiar with an email Musk sent to Twitter staff says Musk has offered Twitter employees stock grants that value the company at $20 billion. The reported valuation is less than half of the $44 billion that Musk paid to acquire the social media platform.
Twitter source code posted to GitHub
Part of Twitter’s source code is posted on GitHub but has been taken down when Twitter requested its removal. In the takedown request, Twitter said an account called ‘FreeSpeechEnthusiast’ had infringed copyrights owned by the company, and asked for information that could identify the owner of the account. GitHub:
GitHub does not generally comment on decisions to remove content. However, in the interest of transparency, we share every DMCA [Digital Millennium Copyright Act] takedown request publicly
Musk: Twitter For You tab, polls to be restricted to verified users
Musk announces that from April 15th only Twitter verified accounts will be eligible to be in For You recommendations and polls. Musk says this change is to stop ‘advanced AI bot swarms taking over’.
Starting April 15th, only verified accounts will be eligible to be in For You recommendations. The is the only realistic way to address advanced AI bot swarms taking over. It is otherwise a hopeless losing battle. Voting in polls will require verification for same reason.
When some users question the decision, he says:
My prediction is that this will be the only platform you can trust
Starting April 15th, only verified accounts will be eligible to be in For You recommendations.
The is the only realistic way to address advanced AI bot swarms taking over. It is otherwise a hopeless losing battle.
Voting in polls will require verification for same reason.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 27, 2023
Twitter’s FTC lawyer resigns
Christian Dowell, a top lawyer for Twitter who was responsible for substantially coordinating Twitter’s response to an investigation by Federal Trade Commission, submits his letter of resignation. The resignation comes in part due to the growing number of executive departures and intensifying legal woes facing the social media platform. It is unclear who will succeed Mr. Dowell in navigating Twitter through its FTC investigation and lawsuits concerning unpaid bills, services, and labor practices.
Taibbi quits Twitter citing Substack restrictions
Taibbi says he will no longer use Twitter, after the company decided to heavily restrict all links and tweets about Substack following that company’s announcement it would be launching Substack Notes, a short form social network and potential competitor to Twitter. The restrictions require Substack writers to sign a pledge not to criticize Musk or his companies. Taibbi had previously tweeted that he asked Musk personally why Substack was being limited on Twitter and didn’t receive a response. Musk unfollowed Taibbi on Twitter shortly after the journalist made his announcement. Taibbi:
Earlier this afternoon, I learned Substack links were being blocked on Twitter. Since being able to share my articles is a primary reason I use Twitter, I was alarmed and asked what was going on…It turns out Twitter is upset about the new Substack Notes feature, which they see as a hostile rival. When I asked how I was supposed to market my work, I was given the option of posting my articles on Twitter instead of Substack….This abrupt change is a reminder of why writers deserve a model that puts them in charge, that rewards great work with money, and that protects the free press and free speech. Their livelihoods should not be tied to platforms where they don’t own their relationship with their audience, and where the rules can change on a whim.
Musk BBC interview
Musk is interviewed by James Clayton of the BBC, at Twitter HQ, in San Franscisco. The interview primarily covers Musk’s work at Twitter. Musk says that he only went through with the takeover because a judge was about to force him to make the purchase, but that he still felt that buying the company was the right thing to do. Operationally, he says that cuting the workforce has not been easy, but usage of the site is up and the ‘site works’, despite some glitches and outages. The firm is “roughly breaking even”, as most of its advertisers have returned. He said he would sell the company if the right person came along.
When asked about hateful content on the platform, Musk asks Clayton if he has seen any, to which Clayton replies that he hasn’t seen any, because he doesn’t use Twitter any more. Musk:
You say you’ve seen more hateful content, but you can’t name a single example. Even one…Then I say, sir, that you don’t know what you’re talking about.
Musk also says he would change its newly-added label for the BBC’s account from “government funded media” to say it is “publicly funded” instead.
We’re trying to be accurate, I actually do have a lot of respect for the BBC. [This interview] is a good opportunity to ask some questions [and] to get some feedback on what we should be doing different
Musk: Subscriptions replacing Super Follows on Twitter
Musk says content creators on Twitter will now make money through Subscriptions rather than Super Follows.
Apply to offer your followers subscriptions of any material, from longform text to hours long video! Just tap on “Monetization” in settings.
But, the subscription program appears mostly unchanged from Super Follows, which Twitter originally introduced as a way for creators to charge for exclusive tweets. Creators can charge $2.99, $4.99 or $9.99 a month, with exclusive content including subscriber-only chats in Twitter Spaces and special badges for subscribers.
Musk also says Twitter will help promote creators’ content (he does not elaborate on how) and will not take a cut of the revenue for “the next 12 months.” Instead, creators will get all that remains after app store and payment processing fees: about 70 percent of their earnings from mobile and 92 percent from web-based subscriptions.
For the next 12 months, Twitter will keep none of the money.
You will receive whatever money we receive, so that’s 70% for subscriptions on iOS & Android (they charge 30%) and ~92% on web (could be better, depending on payment processor).
After first year, iOS & Android fees…
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 13, 2023
CBC pauses ‘Twitter activities’
CBC says it is pausing its activities on Twitter.
Our journalism is impartial and independent. To suggest otherwise is untrue. That is why we are pausing our activities on @Twitter. | Notre journalisme est impartial et indépendant. Prétendre le contraire est faux. C’est pourquoi nous suspendons nos activités sur @Twitter
Our journalism is impartial and independent. To suggest otherwise is untrue. That is why we are pausing our activities on @Twitter. | Notre journalisme est impartial et indépendant. Prétendre le contraire est faux. C’est pourquoi nous suspendons nos activités sur @Twitter.
— CBC/Radio-Canada (@CBCRadioCanada) April 17, 2023
Musk changes CBC label to ‘69% government funded’
In reponse to complaints from CBC, Musk changes the label on their account to say the corporation is ‘69% government funded’.
Canadian Broadcasting Corp said they’re “less than 70% government-funded”, so we corrected the label
Canadian Broadcasting Corp said they’re “less than 70% government-funded”, so we corrected the label pic.twitter.com/lU1EWf76Zu
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 18, 2023
CBC: Twitter’s response not ‘serious’
A spokesperson for CBC says Twitter’s labelling fo the corporation as “69% government funded” is not “serious.”
The real issue is that Twitter’s definition of government-funded media means open to editorial interference by government. As the Editor-in-Chief of CBC News has said the government has no — zero — involvement in our editorial content or journalism
Trans advocates criticise Twitter policy change
Trans advocates criticise Elon Musk for quietly removing a Twitter policy designed to protect transgender people from harassment. The policy previously forbade users of the social media network from deliberately “misgendering” (referring to someone using pronouns that do not reflect their gender identity) or “deadnaming” (calling a transgender person by the name they were given at birth, rather than the name and gender they now identify with) trans users. An archived version of Twitter’s policy indicates that the rule was scrubbed on April 8 without announcement. GLAAD president Sarah Kate Ellis:
Twitter’s decision to covertly roll back its longtime policy is the latest example of just how unsafe the company is for users and advertisers alike.
Trans rights group Human Rights Campaign:
This policy change makes Twitter more unsafe for trans and non-binary users and paves the way for outright discrimination. Twitter has an obligation to protect people on the platform, not expose them to hate and vitriol.
This policy change makes Twitter more unsafe for trans and non-binary users and paves the way for outright discrimination.
Twitter has an obligation to protect people on the platform, not expose them to hate and vitriol. https://t.co/0nFvxLjBIQ
— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) April 18, 2023
Musk threatens Microsoft over Twitter data: ‘Lawsuit time’
Musk threatens to sue Microsoft for using Twitter data without permission.
They trained illegally using Twitter data. Lawsuit time.
He does not elaborate any further or provide evidence to support his claim.
They trained illegally using Twitter data. Lawsuit time.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 19, 2023
Microsoft removes Twitter from advertising platform
Microsoft says it plans to remove Twitter from its corporate advertising platform, though other social media sites like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn will still be available.
Starting on April 25, 2023, Smart Campaigns with Multi-platform will no longer support Twitter
This means that users of Microsoft’s free social media management tool will no longer be able to access their Twitter accounts through it. They will not be able to create new tweets, view past tweets, manage drafts, schedule posts, or manage engagement in any way. Microsoft does not provide a reason for the change.
Twitter removes blue ticks from non-paying users
Twitter removes blue ticks from as many as 300,000 accounts, including journalists, athletes and public figures, who have not paid a monthly fee to get one. High-profile users who lost their blue ticks include Beyoncé, Pope Francis, Oprah Winfrey and Donald Trump. A Twitter Blue subscription costs $8 a month for individuals to a starting price of $1,000 monthly to verify an organization, plus $50 monthly for each affiliate or employee account.
Musk pays for Shatner, LeBron and King blue ticks
After legacy blue verification checkmarks are removed from Twitter, Musk says he is personally paying the $8 a month fee for William Shatner, LeBron James & Stephen King. King had previously said that he would not pay for the verification. After the author tweeted he has been subscribed, despite not giving his phone number, Musk replies:
You’re welcome namaste
You’re welcome namaste 🙏
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 20, 2023
Just Shatner, LeBron and King
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 21, 2023
Musk to King: ‘I’ve donated $100M to Ukraine, how much have you donated?’
After King says that Musk should give the blue check fee he donated to King to a Ukraine charity:
I think Mr. Musk should give my blue check to charity. I recommend the Prytula Foundation, which provides lifesaving services in Ukraine. It’s only $8, so perhaps Mr. Musk could add a bit more.
Musk responds, saying he has donated $100 million to Ukraine, and asks King how much he has donated.
I’ve donated $100M to Ukraine, how much have you donated?
Musk links his tweet to an October 22, 2022, tweet from former Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, thanking him for donating Starlink to Ukraine’s war effort.
Thanks @elonmusk. Before all the talks about funding, you confirmed to me that in any case you will ensure the work of Starlinks in Ukraine. This was critically important for Ukraine. We are grateful to you!
I’ve donated $100M to Ukraine, how much have you donated?
(We turned down the DoD money btw) https://t.co/wpLa6dTnP6
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 23, 2023
Dead celebrities get Twitter blue checks
Twitter adds blue checks to the accounts of numerous dead celebrities, including some that have been inactive for years. Paul Walker, Kobe Bryant, Anthony Bourdain, Chadwick Bosman and Norm Macdonald are among the celebrities whose accounts have been “verified” posthumously. Whether this is another “trolling” stunt by Musk remains unclear.
Twitter to take 10% cut of users’ content subscriptions
As Twitter seeks more revenue streams, Musk says the platform will take a 10% cut of the money generated by users who sell subscriptions to their content (such as long-form text and video), but only after the first year. He also mentioned a drop in iOS and Android subscription fees:
We will keep 10% after 12 months, but iOS/Android subscription fees drop from 30% to 15% in year 2, so still a net gain to creators.
Twitter is trying to boost revenue following a drop in its advertising income just as it was being purchased by Musk.
We will keep 10% after 12 months, but iOS/Android subscription fees drop from 30% to 15% in year 2, so still a net gain to creators
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 28, 2023
Dorsey: ‘It all went south’ after Musk bought Twitter
In a discussion started by Bluesky users, Dorsey criticizes Musk’s leadership of Twitter, saying he should have paid the penalty to back out of buying the platform.
I think he should have walked away and paid the $1b.
Asked whether he thinks Musk is the right leader for Twitter, Dorsey replied:
No. Nor do I think he acted right after realizing his timing was bad. Nor do I think the board should have forced the sale. It all went south.
Dorsey (still a Twitter shareholder) also said he is glad new platforms like Bluesky are appearing.
Musk: Publishers can charge Twitter users for article views
Musk announces that Twitter will allow media publishers to charge users for access to their content with just one click. The exact percentage of each transaction that will go to Twitter and the conditions for media publishers have not yet been disclosed. Musk claims that this will be beneficial for both media organisations and the public.
Rolling out next month, this platform will allow media publishers to charge users on a per article basis with one click. This enables users who would not sign up for a monthly subscription to pay a higher per article price for when they want to read an occasional article. Should be a major win-win for both media orgs & the public.
Rolling out next month, this platform will allow media publishers to charge users on a per article basis with one click.
This enables users who would not sign up for a monthly subscription to pay a higher per article price for when they want to read an occasional article.…
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 29, 2023