The world’s richest individual, Elon Musk, has reached a deal to purchase Twitter, one of many world’s largest social media websites, for $44 billion. Mr. Musk says he needs to guard “free speech”, however many individuals fear about actions he could take as Twitter’s proprietor.
Elon Musk is already a really busy man. He owns and runs a number of corporations. These embrace Tesla, the world’s largest electrical automotive firm, and SpaceX, the world’s largest non-public area firm. At present, Mr. Musk is believed to be value about $270 billion ($270,000,000,000).
(Supply: Steve Jurvetson [CC BY 2.0], by way of Wikimedia Commons.)
Mr. Musk is massively profitable. He has dreamed massive, invented unbelievable issues, and put infinite power into making his goals come true.
However he’s additionally recognized for making foolish jokes, altering his thoughts usually, being impolite, and performing like a bully. These are just a few of the explanations that many individuals are nervous about Mr. Musk taking management of Twitter.
Twitter is a social media website that’s fashionable world wide. Folks focus on all types of issues, together with information and politics. Twitter’s posts – referred to as “tweets” – are restricted to simply 280 letters. Folks can even submit photos and movies. Many well-known folks, together with politicians, share their concepts on Twitter.
(Supply: Tobias Kleinlercher / Wikipedia [CC BY-SA 3.0], by way of Wikimedia Commons.)
Twitter Bots
Twitter has a lot of pc managed or “bot” accounts. These “bots” generally submit easy issues like climate stories. They will additionally re-post tweets despatched out by different accounts. Some bots are clearly marked as being bots. Others fake to be actual folks. Giant teams of bots can work collectively to make it seem to be one thing is occurring that basically isn’t.
Mr. Musk says he needs to guard free speech on Twitter. Many individuals fear that when Mr. Musk says “free speech”, he could imply permitting folks to say hateful issues or issues that aren’t true.
In recent times, Twitter, like most social media websites, has been hit with enormous quantities of faux information and hate-filled posts. The flood of faux information has led many individuals to consider false data, even in necessary areas like elections and Covid-19.
😕
This picture has not been loaded due to your cookie selections. To view the content material, you possibly can settle for ‘Non-necessary’ cookies.
Mr. Musk says he needs to guard free speech on Twitter. Many individuals fear that Mr. Musk could enable folks to say hateful issues or issues that aren’t true. In recent times, Twitter, like most social media websites, has been hit with a flood of faux information and hate-filled posts.
Mr. Musk hasn’t all the time proven a lot curiosity in permitting different folks to talk freely or in stopping hate speech. When a buyer who ordered a automotive from Tesla criticized the corporate, Mr. Musk canceled the client’s order. Tesla factories are at the moment being investigated for treating folks of colour unfairly.
Mr. Musk says he has concepts for methods to make Twitter higher. He says he needs to make the way in which Twitter works extra open and clear. He has talked about eradicating bots and eliminating faux accounts.
Twitter is at the moment a public firm, and anybody should purchase small components of the enterprise, referred to as “shares”. Twitter’s job, along with being a social media website, is to make as a lot cash as attainable for the individuals who maintain these shares.
(Supply: NASA/Joel Kowsky [Public domain], by way of Wikimedia Commons.)
Mr. Musk says that as Twitter’s proprietor, he’ll make it a non-public firm. Mr. Musk thinks Twitter will enhance with out the strain to make numerous cash.
Nonetheless, many individuals fear a couple of single individual having such full management over a robust social media website.
One factor that has all the time been true of Mr. Musk is that it’s arduous to foretell what he’ll do subsequent. He usually says one factor and does one thing utterly totally different. It can in all probability take about six months for Mr. Musk’s deal to purchase Twitter to be full. For now, most individuals will simply have to attend and see what Mr. Musk does subsequent.
Did You Know…?
Mr. Musk’s Tesla firm doesn’t simply make electrical vehicles. It additionally has a solar energy and battery enterprise. SpaceX doesn’t simply construct rockets and ship astronauts and different gadgets into area. It additionally has a enterprise which makes use of satellites to offer web service. Mr. Musk additionally owns the Boring Firm, which makes tunnels underground, and Neuralink, an organization working to construct a tool that can let folks straight management expertise with their brains. Mr. Musk additionally began OpenAI, a big analysis firm that has made enormous steps ahead in synthetic intelligence.
