Tesla and SpaceX CEO, Elon Musk, has finally announced he has bought Twitter and was responded to backlash associated with his takeover.
The business magnate decided to move forward with the reported $44 billion dollar deal to take control of the social media platform on October 4, closing the deal on October 27.
In April, he joined the Twitter board and announced it would soon lead to “significant improvements” for the platform.
Confirmation of the acquisition puts an end to months of back-and-forth between the billionaire and the company. At one point, the deal appeared to be on thin ice as he voiced concerns over the platform having an alleged bot problem.
Elon Musk confirms Twitter buyout
Musk was pictured walking into the Twitter HQ with a sink on October 26, but it was unclear as to whether the move had been finalized.
He said: “Meeting a lot of cool people at Twitter today!”
This followed reports that Musk was considering a cut to 75% of the tech company’s workforce. Bloomberg later claimed he rubbished the rumors personally when speaking to staff.
Meeting a lot of cool people at Twitter today!
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 26, 2022
The following day, he sent a message addressed to “Twitter advertisers” on his Twitter account.
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The statement said: “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.”
Elon Musk responds to Twitter takeover backlash
His previous comments about making social media more pro-free speech, as reported by The Guardian, have led to many users questioning his motives.
So, he decided to address the concerns head-on.
Dear Twitter Advertisers pic.twitter.com/GMwHmInPAS
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 27, 2022
“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,” he added.
“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.”
Elon Musk’s takeover of the company is one of the biggest business acquisitions in 2022 so far and users around the world will be on the edge of their seats waiting for the changes he has in store. Some, however, remain skeptical.