Elon Musk says Twitter can’t become a ‘free-for-all hellscape’. Read here
It is important for future generations to have one common digital platform, where a wide range of beliefs can be discussed in a healthy manner, Elon Musk said
Elon Musk on Thursday reached out to Twitter advertisers opening up about the reasons to buy the company saying that it is important for future generations to have one common digital platform, where a wide range of beliefs can be discussed in a healthy manner. Hinting at how the platform is likely the shape in the future, Musk said it is not going to be ‘free-for-all’ platform and that users would be able to choose ‘desired experience as per your preference’, just as one chooses a movie.
The message to advertisers posted Thursday on Twitter came a day before Musk’s deadline for closing his $44 billion deal to buy the social-media company and take it private.
Read full letter here:
I wanted to reach out personally to share my motivation for acquiring Twitter. There have been many speculations about why I bought Twitter and what I think about advertising. Most of it has been wrong.
The reason I acquired Twitter is that it is important for the future civilisation to have one common digital town square, where a wide range of beliefs can be discussed in a healthy manner, without resorting to violence.
There is currently a great danger that social media will splinter into far-right or 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 polarised 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 did not buy it because it was easy. I did not do it to make more money. I did it to help humanity, whom I love. And I do so with humility, recognising that failure in pursuing this goal, despite our best efforts, is a very real possibility.
That said, Twitter cannot become ‘free-for-all hellspace’, where anything can be said without consequence. In addition to adhering to the law of the land, our platform should be warm and welcoming to all, where you can choose your desired experience as per your preference, just as you can choose, for example, to see movies or play videogames ranging from all ages to mature.
Friday’s deadline to close the deal was ordered by the Delaware Chancery Court in early October. It is the latest step in an epic battle during which Musk signed an April deal to acquire Twitter, then tried to back out of it, leading Twitter to sue the Tesla CEO to force him to conclude the deal. If the two sides don’t meet the Friday deadline, the next step could be a November trial that would likely lead to a judge forcing Musk to complete the deal.
But Musk has been signaling that the deal is going through by Friday, paying a visit to Twitter’s San Francisco headquarters Wednesday and changing his Twitter profile to “Chief Twit.”
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First Published:27 Oct 2022, 08:07 PM IST
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