OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
The CEO of Twitter, Parag Agrawal, has made a massive announcement one day after Tesla, SpaceX and Starlink CEO Elon Musk became the largest shareholder in the company.
He took to the platform on Tuesday and said he intends to add the billionaire to the Twitter board of directors.
“I’m excited to share that we’re appointing @elonmusk to our board! Through conversations with Elon in recent weeks, it became clear to us that he would bring great value to our Board,” he said in a tweet thread.
“He’s both a passionate believer and intense critic of the service which is exactly what we need on @Twitter, and in the boardroom, to make us stronger in the long-term. Welcome Elon!” he said.
He’s both a passionate believer and intense critic of the service which is exactly what we need on @Twitter, and in the boardroom, to make us stronger in the long-term. Welcome Elon!
— Parag Agrawal (@paraga) April 5, 2022
Musk, who announced his shareholder status this week, responded to the tweets.
“Looking forward to working with Parag & Twitter board to make significant improvements to Twitter in coming months!” he said.
Looking forward to working with Parag & Twitter board to make significant improvements to Twitter in coming months!
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 5, 2022
Musk bought a 9.2% stake in Twitter, making him the largest shareholder of the left-leaning social media platform.
“Musk owns 73.5 million Twitter shares, valuing his passive stake in the company at up to $2.9 billion based on the stock’s Friday close. The shares are held by the Elon Musk Revocable Trust,” Newsmax reported.
“Musk, a prolific user of Twitter, has over 80 million followers on the site since joining in 2009 and has used the platform to make several announcements, including teasing a go-private deal for Tesla that landed him in regulatory scrutiny. He, however, has been critical of the social media platform and its policies of late and has said the company is undermining democracy by failing to adhere to free speech principles,” the report added.
Many social media users reacted to the news, with Republicans supporting the move and others not too happy about it.
Now that @ElonMusk is Twitter’s largest shareholder, it’s time to lift the political censorship.
Oh… and BRING BACK TRUMP!
— Lauren Boebert (@laurenboebert) April 4, 2022
Will the new majority shareholder return freedom of speech to Twitter?
It will require courage bc the regime is heavily investing in a certain industry and threats will undoubtedly come.
Yet the freedom of speech restored will enable us all to defeat them.@elonmusk
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (@RepMTG) April 4, 2022
FT: Elon Musk becomes Twitter's biggest shareholder after taking 9.2% stake in company
— Josh Caplan (@joshdcaplan) April 4, 2022
Elon Musk is taking a 9% stake in Twitter. Stock currently on its way to Pluto, up 25% in the pre-market.
— Joe Concha (@JoeConchaTV) April 4, 2022
Elon Musk buys 9.2 percent of Twitter amid complaints about free speech https://t.co/8TTyuTutrP pic.twitter.com/Hq0QwpuP54
— The Verge (@verge) April 4, 2022
Elon Musk buys a 9% stake in Twitter and immediately after, I get verified.
Thank you Elon. ❤️🐳
— CryptoWhale (@CryptoWhale) April 4, 2022
.@ElonMusk is now the largest shareholder of Twitter.
Time to get this platform back to its former glory.
Step one – bring back President Trump!
Step two – give everyone who has been banned a second chance.
Step three – end all forms of political and other censorship.
— Errol Webber (@ErrolWebber) April 4, 2022
The move comes after Musk put up a poll asking his followers if they believed that Twitter did a good job of adhering to free speech principles.
The billionaire made a series of tweets that had some speculating that a social media app could be his next business venture.
“Free speech is essential to a functioning democracy. Do you believe Twitter rigorously adheres to this principle?” he said in one tweet with a poll in which 70 percent of the respondents answered “no.”
Free speech is essential to a functioning democracy.
Do you believe Twitter rigorously adheres to this principle?
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 25, 2022
“The consequences of this poll will be important. Please vote carefully,” he said.
The consequences of this poll will be important. Please vote carefully.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 25, 2022
“Given that Twitter serves as the de facto public town square, failing to adhere to free speech principles fundamentally undermines democracy. What should be done?” he said in another tweet.
Given that Twitter serves as the de facto public town square, failing to adhere to free speech principles fundamentally undermines democracy.
What should be done? https://t.co/aPS9ycji37
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 26, 2022
“Is a new platform needed?” he said.
Is a new platform needed?
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 26, 2022
There were a ton of responses.
“Yes.. but if it’s a platform. The existing big three are publishers pretending to be platforms. That’s the problem,” radio host Joe Pagliarulo said.
yes.. but if it's a platform. The existing big three are publishers pretending to be platforms. That's the problem.
— Joe Pags Pagliarulo (@JoeTalkShow) March 26, 2022
“Buy Twitter and fix it!” author Brigitte Gabriel said.
Buy Twitter and fix it!
— Brigitte Gabriel (@ACTBrigitte) March 26, 2022
“When you buy twitter, after stopping the shadow banning and censorship of health facts, can we get an edit button and go back to 120 characters?” journalist Emily Miller said.
When you buy twitter, after stopping the shadow banning and censorship of health facts, can we get an edit button and go back to 120 characters?
— Emily Miller (@emilymiller) March 27, 2022
“We need to invent something that fills this space that hasn’t existed…yet. There are, unfortunately, several challenges that have prevented every previous attempt from working. This is very much an analytic problem of a particular kind. It’s not just lack of desire. Good luck,” podcast host Eric Weinstein said.
We need to invent something that fills this space that hasn’t existed…yet.
There are, unfortunately, several challenges that have prevented every previous attempt from working. This is very much an analytic problem of a particular kind. It’s not just lack of desire.
Good luck. https://t.co/vjVxOqnAna
— Eric Weinstein (@EricRWeinstein) March 26, 2022
“Musk owns 73.5 million Twitter shares, valuing his passive stake in the company at up to $2.9 billion based on the stock’s Friday close. The shares are held by the Elon Musk Revocable Trust,” Newsmax reported.
“Musk, a prolific user of Twitter, has over 80 million followers on the site since joining in 2009 and has used the platform to make several announcements, including teasing a go-private deal for Tesla that landed him in regulatory scrutiny. He, however, has been critical of the social media platform and its policies of late and has said the company is undermining democracy by failing to adhere to free speech principles,” the report added.
Oh hi lol
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 4, 2022
Soon after the news on Monday went viral on social media, Musk tweeted: “oh hi lol.”
