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Why Did Elon Musk Buy Twitter?
So why did Elon Musk buy Twitter? Perhaps he is motivated by free speech, the fact that censorship on social media sites is becoming a larger issue and that he wants to get rid of spam accounts and re-platform controversial public figures. Or perhaps it’s more complicated. Perhaps, like other tech billionaires, he is motivated by the need to eliminate bots and spam accounts.
Elon Musk’s interest in Twitter stems from censorship of free speech
One of the arguments against Elon Musk’s interest in Twitter is that it may hinder free speech. The current leadership of Twitter has faced backlash for its sweeping policies that have suppressed controversial speech. Elon Musk himself has been the subject of criticism for his impulsive tweets, which have impacted his stock prices. But the question is whether Musk is right or wrong.
In fact, there are two major problems with this line of thinking. First, censorship is damaging to society. It is unconstitutional to restrict free speech. Second, such policies could result in people committing crimes and sex assaults. Twitter’s rules are not set in stone. If the company were to remove the measures imposed by the United States government, it would quickly run out of sponsors, advertisers and corporate partners. Nevertheless, if Musk tries to maintain the status quo, it may end up in court. The company may be faced with the difficult task of moderation and regulation of controversial content.
He wants to eliminate spam accounts
The deal between Elon Musk and Twitter is in jeopardy, and it’s unclear what will happen next. Musk has previously criticized Twitter for not deleting bot accounts, and the two sides have agreed to work out the details in court. But he may have underestimated the size of the problem. Moreover, the two sides don’t agree on what exactly constitutes a “material adverse effect” – changes that have a negative impact on Twitter’s business.
While the emergence of spam accounts is a problem, Musk’s team may be able to salvage the situation by focusing on bots. This will likely lower the value of Twitter’s stock and force a renegotiation. The team is likely to understand how hard it is to back out of the deal, and the legalities of doing so. In fact, one of the biggest obstacles to backing out of the deal is that Musk may have underestimated the number of spam bots. Nevertheless, Twitter has said that spam accounts are only about five percent of its total active user base.
He wants to re-platform controversial public figures
Elon Musk’s desire to re-platform controversial public figures is one of the latest in a long line of efforts to protect free speech on social media. As a self-proclaimed “future of civilisation” he has vowed to spend billions of dollars to secure free speech on Twitter. While this may seem like a good idea on the surface, the idea could lead to legal trouble if it goes too far.
In recent months, Elon Musk has expressed his dismay over the continued ban of former president Donald Trump from Twitter. However, the Twitter algorithm has been the source of a number of headaches over the years. Bots are widely used by Russian trolls to spread disinformation, and there are even cryptocurrency bot networks that constantly tweet about cryptocurrency prices. Musk has also advocated that the algorithm used by Twitter be made public so users can better understand how it works. Former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey has also argued for the same measure.
He wants to eradicate bots
Elon Musk, a self-described free speech absolutist, recently bought Twitter with the intention of eradicating Twitter bots. If you’re an active Twitter user, you probably know all about the pain of dealing with spam bots – they bombard your feed with inappropriate content. Musk has stated that removing bots from Twitter would cost him half of his following, and he is determined to do it. But how does he plan on eradicating bots?
Twitter’s quarterly financial report estimates that less than 5% of its active users are bots. Musk questioned the number, comparing it to the amount of termites in a house. A home with 90% termites is not worth living in. So, why should Twitter be any different? The answer lies in the company’s own security filings. He claims that eradicating bots will improve the user experience, as it will increase engagement.
