Picture Illustration by Luis G. Rendon/The Every day Beast/Getty
Elon Musk dragged his ft earlier than shelling out $44 billion to purchase Twitter, and by all appearances he now doesn’t know what to do with it. The billionaire’s plans appear to alter by the hour—from his overhaul of the blue-check verification system, to the best way he really implements his “free speech” ideas—leaving customers, and Twitter’s remaining workers, ceaselessly in the dead of night.
Issues had been simpler when the world’s richest man was merely a Twitter troll, lobbing grenades at its management and making juvenile references to the numbers “420” and “69.” However now the trolls have come for Musk.
The chaos is wreaking havoc on the platform, and creating challenges for Musk as he works to salvage his funding. Internally, he has spoken candidly concerning the bleak scenario, claiming in an electronic mail to workers early Thursday that there's “an excellent likelihood Twitter won't survive the upcoming financial downturn” until it may dramatically increase income from premium subscriptions.
It’s been exhausting to maintain up with the always shifting storyline—even for the reporters overlaying it. For a timeline of Musk’s current decision-making, learn on:
Musk walks into the Twitter workplaces carrying a sink.
And tweets a video of it with the caption “let that sink in.” Don’t ask us why.
A few clowns pose as laid-off Twitter employees exterior headquarters.
And really handle to trick a number of media retailers. Folks dropping their jobs is so humorous, proper?
The Verge experiences that Musk will begin charging $20 a month for verification, as a part of a reconfigured “Twitter Blue” program.
Blue Checks in every single place lose their minds.
Hate speech goes ham on the platform.
Researchers from Montclair State College discovered an “fast, seen, and measurable spike” within the quantity of “vulgar and hostile” rhetoric on the location within the 12 hours since Musk took over. (Twitter will finally take away greater than 1,500 accounts in an try to curtail this conduct.)
Musk really lays off greater than 3,000 Twitter workers…
….after which asks dozens of them to return again.
The affected workers had been laid off “by chance,” in line with Bloomberg.
Simply kidding guys, blue checks will solely price $8.
And likewise if you have already got one, you may preserve it free of charge. And likewise you may put up longer movies? And get fewer adverts? And in the event you don’t purchase it your tweets can be buried in a large rubbish heap?
However you can not get them simply but as a result of it’s nearly Election Day and holy shit would that be a multitude.
Twitter begins dropping advertisers
Main ones—like Basic Motors, Basic Mills and United Airways. In all probability for causes associated to merchandise No. 4.
Musk blames the advertiser exodus on activists who're “attempting to destroy free speech.”
They inform us they’re not that nervous about it.
Twitter suspends a bunch of people that had been impersonating Musk.
Together with comedians like Kathy Griffin and Sarah Silverman. Apparently comedy just isn't, the truth is, authorized on Twitter.
Musk hosts a Twitter Area to attempt to win advertisers again.
He acted like barely much less of a troll, but additionally in contrast the outdated verification system to one among America’s wars. (Civil Conflict or Revolutionary? Your guess is pretty much as good as ours.)
Jesus Christ will get a verified account.
Together with pretend accounts for George W. Bush, O.J. Simpson and Rudy Giulliani. Principally, the brand new verification system goes simply nice.
A number of high privateness and safety officers give up, in line with the Washington Publish, sparking concern from the FTC.
Prior to now two weeks, the corporate additionally misplaced its chief advertising and marketing officer, head of product, the chief buyer officer, and head of individuals and variety, to call just a few.
Musk formally alienates everybody left at Twitter by demanding all of them come again into the workplace full time.
And likewise calls the financial future “dire” and predicts Twitter won't survive it with out “vital subscription income” in an electronic mail to employees.
Two extra essential execs soar ship.
My, it’s a skinny crowd on the Titanic this night. Insiders inform Axios: “It’s over ... Belief is gone." (One of many execs reportedly later un-resigned.)
All of us die in a fiery blaze.
Hopefully.