When Elon Musk officially took over Twitter in October 2022, the tech world braced for impact. The billionaire entrepreneur, known for his ambitious ventures like Tesla and SpaceX, promised to revolutionize the platform. And he did—just not in the way everyone expected. Since then, Twitter has undergone drastic changes, sparking both excitement and outrage among users, employees, and advertisers. Here’s a look at how Musk’s leadership has reshaped the social media giant.
Elon Musk’s acquisition of Twitter wasn’t smooth. After initially expressing interest, he tried to back out, citing concerns about fake accounts and bots. Twitter’s board took legal action to force the deal through, and Elon Musk eventually agreed to purchase the platform for $44 billion. Once in charge, he wasted no time making changes.
One of his first major moves was firing top executives, including CEO Parag Agrawal. He also dissolved the board of directors, making himself the sole decision-maker. The changes sent shockwaves through the company, with employees and investors uncertain about Twitter’s future.
One of Elon Musk’s most controversial decisions was slashing Twitter’s workforce. In the weeks following his takeover, the company laid off nearly half of its employees. Entire teams, including content moderation and communications, were gutted. While Elon Musk defended the layoffs as necessary cost-cutting measures, critics argued that it left the platform vulnerable to security risks, misinformation, and technical failures.
To further cut costs, Musk also eliminated perks like free lunches at Twitter’s headquarters and reduced the company’s cloud storage expenses. These drastic reductions led to concerns about the platform’s stability and long-term viability.
One of Elon Musk’s most talked-about changes was revamping the Twitter Blue subscription service. Previously, Twitter verification (the famous blue checkmark) was reserved for notable figures like journalists, celebrities, and politicians. Under Elon Musk’s leadership, the blue checkmark became available to anyone willing to pay $8 per month.
The change backfired almost immediately. Trolls and impersonators flooded Twitter, using fake verified accounts to spread misinformation. High-profile brands like Eli Lilly and Nintendo fell victim to impersonation, causing chaos and even affecting stock prices. After significant backlash, Musk adjusted the system, implementing stricter verification measures.
Elon Musk has long positioned himself as a “free speech absolutist.” Under his leadership, Twitter reinstated previously banned accounts, including those of controversial figures like Donald Trump and Kanye West. While some users praised these moves as a victory for free expression, others worried about the rise of hate speech and misinformation.
Twitter’s approach to content moderation also shifted. The company relied more on automated moderation and user reporting rather than dedicated teams. This led to concerns that harmful content, including hate speech and false information, was spreading more easily.
Musk’s drastic changes didn’t sit well with advertisers. Many major brands, including General Motors, Coca-Cola, and Disney, paused or reduced their ad spending on Twitter. They feared the platform’s instability and the rise of unmoderated content could harm their reputations.
To compensate for lost ad revenue, Musk explored alternative monetization strategies, including paid subscriptions and exclusive content features. However, Twitter’s financial health remained a major concern, especially with the burden of Musk’s $44 billion purchase.
In mid-2023, Musk took an even more drastic step—rebranding Twitter as “X.” The iconic blue bird logo was replaced with a minimalist black-and-white “X” logo. Musk’s vision was to transform Twitter into an “everything app,” similar to China’s WeChat, incorporating messaging, payments, and other digital services.
However, the rebranding confused users and advertisers. Many still referred to the platform as “Twitter,” and some questioned whether the change was necessary or beneficial.
Musk’s tenure as Twitter’s owner has been anything but boring. He has made radical changes, some of which have energized his supporters while alienating others. Under his leadership, Twitter (or X) has become a more unpredictable, less structured platform. Whether this approach will help the company thrive or lead to its downfall remains to be seen.
What’s clear is that Musk has left his mark on the social media landscape. Love him or hate him, his influence on Twitter has been undeniable. The big question now is: Can he turn his vision for X into a sustainable reality, or will his experiment with Twitter ultimately fail?
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