When he purchased Twitter for $44 billion, Elon Musk probably thought it was a brilliant business move. But as he’s finding out, no only is his social media site losing money hand over fist, he’s also managing to alienate people who have the power to impose all sorts of pain on him and his company.
Take, for example, the case of Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA), who complained about someone creating a fake account that was attempting to pass itself off as his. According to The Washington Post, the showdown between Markey and Musk began on Friday.
The spat began after a Washington Post columnist wrote Friday that he had impersonated Markey, with his permission, to show how easy it is to get a blue check mark under Twitter’s new verification system. “In a few minutes, I got a blue check mark on an impersonation of the lawmaker,” Geoffrey A. Fowler wrote.
Markey then wrote a letter to Musk criticizing the new policy.
“Safeguards such as Twitter’s blue checkmark once allowed users to be smart, critical consumers of news and information in Twitter’s global town square,” he said. “But your Twitter takeover, rapid and haphazard imposition of platform changes, removal of safeguards against disinformation, and firing of large numbers of Twitter employees have accelerated Twitter’s descent into the Wild West of social media.”
Markey said he would like a response explaining the process by Nov. 25.
Markey also posted his complaint on Twitter, writing:
“I’m asking for answers from Elon Musk, who is putting profits over people and his debt over stopping disinformation.”
A @washingtonpost reporter was able to create a verified account impersonating me—I’m asking for answers from @elonmusk who is putting profits over people and his debt over stopping disinformation. Twitter must explain how this happened and how to prevent it from happening again. pic.twitter.com/R4r7p6mduP
But rather than apologize and assure the senator he would look into the matter, Musk decided he’d fire off a terse and sarcastic reply.
“Perhaps it is because your real account sounds like a parody?”
That was a big mistake, as Markey quickly reminded Musk, because the senator just so happens to sit on a Senate committee with direct oversight of Twitter and other social media platforms.
“One of your companies is under an FTC consent decree. Auto safety watchdog NHTSA is investigating another for killing people. And you’re spending your time picking fights online. Fix your companies. Or Congress will.”
One of your companies is under an FTC consent decree. Auto safety watchdog NHTSA is investigating another for killing people. And you’re spending your time picking fights online. Fix your companies. Or Congress will. https://t.co/lE178gPRoM
Brilliant. Nothing keeps away government investigation and intervention like mocking a Senator for legitimate concerns, all while degrading the utility of this platform. You're killing it. Literally.
Even though he claims he’s actually going to purchase Twitter this time, Elon Musk still doesn’t control the social media site, and is lashing out at a potential competitor.
Speaking with the Financial Times, Musk had this to say about Truth Social (a.k.a. Twitter for losers), which failed, one-term former president Donald Trump now uses since he was banned from Facebook and Twitter for spreading lies about the 2020 election, which he lost in a landslide to President Joe Biden.
“[Truth Social] is essentially a rightwing echo chamber. It might as well be called Trumpet.”
So why is Musk suddenly interested in controlling Twitter, a deal he abandoned just months ago?
“I’m not doing Twitter for the money. It’s not like I’m trying to buy some yacht and I can’t afford it. I don’t own any boats. But I think it’s important that people have a maximally trusted and inclusive means of exchanging ideas and that it should be as trusted and transparent as possible.”
Musk’s interview with the Financial Times was wide-ranging and included the topic of his children, some of whom have publicly disowned him.
He also expressed his concern the American left has taken over academia and is warping the minds of young people. While he very briefly discussed his transgender daughter, Musk blamed “communism.”
“It’s full-on communism… and a general sentiment that if you’re rich, you’re evil,” He said. “[The relationship with her] may change, but I have very good relationships with all the others. Can’t win them all.”
The American left is evil, and yet Musk is still so ill-informed and brainwashed that he thinks anyone who disagrees with him is a communist. That’s classic right-wing propaganda, and it proves what an intellectually lazy person Elon Musk is and apparently always will be.
As for Truth Social, recent reports suggest it won’t be around much longer because it’s hemorrhaging money and losing investors.