Elon Musk and Twitter Reach Deal for Sale (2 Viewers)

[SaintForLife]

Elon Musk struck a deal on Monday to buy Twitter for roughly $44 billion, in a victory by the world’s richest man to take over the influential social network frequented by world leaders, celebrities and cultural trendsetters.

Twitter agreed to sell itself to Mr. Musk for $54.20 a share, a 38 percent premium over the company’s share price this month before he revealed he was the firm’s single largest shareholder. It would be the largest deal to take a company private — something Mr. Musk has said he will do with Twitter — in at least two decades, according to data compiled by Dealogic.

“Free speech is the bedrock of a functioning democracy, and Twitter is the digital town square where matters vital to the future of humanity are debated,” Mr. Musk said in a statement announcing the deal. “Twitter has tremendous potential — I look forward to working with the company and the community of users to unlock it.”

The deal, which has been unanimously approved by Twitter’s board, is expected to close this year, subject to a vote of Twitter shareholders and certain regulatory approvals.

The blockbuster agreement caps what had seemed an improbable attempt by the famously mercurial Mr. Musk, 50, to buy the social media company — and immediately raises questions about what he will do with the platform and how his actions will affect online speech globally.

Elon Musk and Twitter Reach Deal for Sale

Twitter agreed to be taken over at $54.20 a share, a 38 percent premium over the share price before it was revealed that Mr. Musk had been buying up the company’s stock.

www-nytimes-com.cdn.ampproject.org

If Musk does what he claims he wants to do it will be a big improvement and good for free speech.

 

[samiam5211]

From each according to their ability, to each according to their means. - This is the capitalism version of the Marx quote.

The people with the best abilities aren't the ones who are most successful, it's the ones who can afford to buy the people with the best abilities who are most successful.

I'm not saying Musk isn't smart, but the reason he has become iconic is because he can afford to buy the best people. Being born rich, makes it easier to become super rich, and once you're super rich, you are essentially a monarch ordering people to do things, and take credit for the things they do.

 

[J-DONK]

From each according to their ability, to each according to their means. - This is the capitalism version of the Marx quote.

The people with the best abilities aren't the ones who are most successful, it's the ones who can afford to buy the people with the best abilities who are most successful.

I'm not saying Musk isn't smart, but the reason he has become iconic is because he can afford to buy the best people. Being born rich, makes it easier to become super rich, and once you're super rich, you are essentially a monarch ordering people to do things, and take credit for the things they do.

Elon is a marketing genius. That's the only talent of he seems to have in spades, and compared to every other billionaire. He has constantly overhyped, and underdelivered on most things outside of Spacex. I have no idea what is propping up Tesla with every other car manufacture gaining huge ground in the EV market other then his marketing hype.

The crazy thing is if he runs Twitter into the ground. That's nothing for him. He can take Spacex public and make it all back in a day.

 

[MT15]

I actually don’t think Elon is a very perceptive person. This meme, for example, is 100% wrong. Just flat out wrong. Why would he amplify it? Who knows. Just not really smart?



For example, all research bears out the opposite. The perception of people who’ve been alive a bit longer than he has bears out the opposite.

 

[superchuck500]

 

[MT15]

A constituency of one, great.

 

[MT15]

So I haven’t finished this piece, yet, but it’s so good I have to share. This sets out what Twitter is (a and is not) clearly. And shows how Musk really doesn’t have a clue what he is doing or even what Twitter is (hint: it is definitely not, nor ever could be, a town square)

“Twitter, like every Starbucks, McDonalds, shopping center, and radio station, has other obligations and interests. Those spaces must maintain order, decorum, cleanliness, and comfort to keep revenue flowing and customers or audiences happy. That’s why the US constitution protects us only from the censorious power of government, not the needs of private entities to restrict expression that might harm their core missions. US law, Musk might be frustrated to learn, not only allows but encourages digital platforms to moderate the content that flows across them.

Twitter is an advertising company. But it’s also a forum for expression. So its rules and design are, understandably, built to consider both the commercial and expressive desires of advertisers and users. That’s a difficult balance to maintain. No social media company has come close to protecting users and fully satisfying advertisers while also allowing for full range of expression in more than 100 languages around the world. Content moderation at a global scale is impossible to do well, but it can always be done better.”

Elon Musk doesn’t understand free speech – or Twitter – at all | Siva Vaidhyanathan

Twitter is less like a ‘town square’ and more like any Starbucks, McDonalds, or shopping center. It has other obligations and interests that are at odds with completely unfettered speech

www.theguardian.com

 

[wardorican]

I personally think a lot of the issue is going to be Twitter's algo. We know it's a problem at Facebook. The biggest issue with you're proposed solution is based on the algo who even sees a different opinion? I'm not discounting there is an issue with these online platforms. I find wholly censoring certain opinions, or topics is so problematic. Twitter has already gotten it wrong multiple times. It's an impossible job.

My overall opinion is that "liberals" should really keep their eye on the ball. The root issue is echo chambers that cause these topics, and opinions to never be challenged. Censorship is a cure that maybe worse then the disease.

If terms of service are violated, the access to the service is revoked.

Censorship implies they just don't want to 'hear' that opinion, or not let it out.

However, I totally agree about the algorithms.

 

[wardorican]

If I had to guess, that first line is dig at the left and maybe the squad with their call for a ministry of truth and reconciliation after Biden won.
The rest are good things to do.

What is a woke progressive? And, are we sure that 'they' are the ones that "control" twitter?

Pure appeal to emotion.

 

[Farb]

What is a woke progressive? And, are we sure that 'they' are the ones that "control" twitter?

Pure appeal to emotion.

Are you asking me or Elon Musk?

https://nypost.com/2022/04/29/elon-musk-says-woke-progressive-extremists-make-him-look-right-wing/

 

[MT15]

Are you asking me or Elon Musk?

https://nypost.com/2022/04/29/elon-musk-says-woke-progressive-extremists-make-him-look-right-wing/

You know, I don’t recall you answering my question about why you think it’s a good thing to fire people for their political beliefs.

Also, Elon Musk comes off as emotionally stunted, IMO. I think he’s stuck emotionally in middle school. Name calling, shirt posting, memes all over the place. Not a normal mature person.

 

[coldseat]

You know, I don’t recall you answering my question about why you think it’s a good thing to fire people for their political beliefs.

Also, Elon Musk comes off as emotionally stunted, IMO. I think he’s stuck emotionally in middle school. Name calling, shirt posting, memes all over the place. Not a normal mature person.

He'll run for president one day because his ego needs it.

 

[el caliente]

He'll run for president one day because his ego needs it.

Are you saying Musk will run for President? He can’t, he’s African. Sure now that he is in the US he is considered African American, but I don’t believe foreign born individuals can run for President.

 

[superchuck500]

I think that’s

Are you saying Musk will run for President? He can’t, he’s African. Sure now that he is in the US he is considered African American, but I don’t believe foreign born individuals can run for President.

You have to be a "natural citizen" to be eligible. There are some scenarios where a person born outside of the United States is still a natural citizen but Musk is not a natural citizen.

 

[coldseat]

Are you saying Musk will run for President? He can’t, he’s African. Sure now that he is in the US he is considered African American, but I don’t believe foreign born individuals can run for President.

Yeah, it was mostly in jest, but I didn't really think about that.

I'd say he'd run for Senator, but I don't think that's an important enough role in his mind.

 

[el caliente]

Yeah, it was mostly in jest, but I didn't really think about that.

I'd say he'd run for Senator, but I don't think that's an important enough role in his mind.

Agreed. I think anything short of President wouldn’t be enough for types like Elon (or any billionaire for that matter). They need absolute power.

 

[Farb]

You know, I don’t recall you answering my question about why you think it’s a good thing to fire people for their political beliefs.

Also, Elon Musk comes off as emotionally stunted, IMO. I think he’s stuck emotionally in middle school. Name calling, shirt posting, memes all over the place. Not a normal mature person.

Before I answer, I need to know if those political beliefs interfered with their work performance? For example, did they take upon themselves and their group to 'protect' free speech by limiting free speech?

If you expect me to defend a person I don't know and is probably a terrible person, then you don't really know me at all.

 

[MT15]

No, sorry the Musk comment was a separate thought.

Well, obviously anyone who doesn’t follow the rules of their job because of ideology (actually for any reason) should be disciplined and maybe terminated. But there was no such caveat given by Shapiro and I don’t think he intended one either. I think he’s totally comfortable with firing people who beliefs don’t align with his. I was surprised you agreed with him though.

 

[wardorican]

Are you asking me or Elon Musk?

https://nypost.com/2022/04/29/elon-musk-says-woke-progressive-extremists-make-him-look-right-wing/

I was asking Ben Shapiro, indirectly.