Elon Musk’s Arrival Made Some Twitter Employees Nervous

News of Tesla chief govt Elon Musk taking a board seat at Twitter has some Twitter workers panicking over the way forward for the social media agency’s means to reasonable content material, firm insiders instructed Reuters.

Within hours of the shock disclosure this week that Musk, a self-described “free speech absolutist,” acquired sufficient shares to change into the highest Twitter shareholder, political conservatives started flooding social media with requires the return of Donald Trump. The former US President was banned from Facebook and Twitter after the January 6 Capitol riot over considerations round incitement of violence.

“Now that @ElonMusk is Twitter’s largest shareholder, it’s time to lift the political censorship. Oh… and BRING BACK TRUMP!,” tweeted Republican congresswoman Lauren Boebert on Monday.

Despite Twitter’s reiteration this week that the board doesn’t make coverage choices, 4 Twitter workers who spoke with Reuters stated they worry Musk’s means to affect the corporate’s insurance policies on abusive customers and dangerous content material.

With Musk on the board, the workers say his views on moderation might weaken years-long efforts to make Twitter a spot of wholesome discourse and permit trolling and mob assaults to flourish.

In the wake of Trump’s ban from Facebook and Twitter, the billionaire tweeted that many individuals could be sad with US tech firms performing “as the de facto arbiter of free speech.”

Musk has not articulated what he desires to do as a brand new board member however he has telegraphed his intentions along with his Twitter exercise: Per week earlier than Musk disclosed a 9.1 % stake in Twitter, he polled his 80 million followers on whether or not the location adhered to the precept of free speech, and the bulk voted no.

The workers, who requested to not be named for worry of retribution, level to Musk’s historical past of utilizing Twitter to assault critics. In 2018, Musk got here beneath fireplace for accusing a British diver who had helped rescue youngsters trapped in a collapse Thailand of being a pedophile.

Musk gained a defamation case introduced by the diver in 2019.

When requested for remark, a Twitter spokesperson repeated an announcement from Tuesday that the board “plays an important advisory and feedback role across the entirety of our service,” however every day operations and choices are made by Twitter’s administration and workers.

“Twitter is committed to impartiality in the development and enforcement of its policies and rules,” the spokesperson stated.

Some workers Reuters spoke to weren’t so positive in regards to the firm’s dedication to this. “I find it hard to believe (the board) doesn’t have influence,” stated one worker. “If that’s the case, why would Elon want a board seat?”

But different workers Reuters spoke to stated that Musk’s involvement might assist quicken the tempo of recent characteristic and product launches, and supply a contemporary perspective as an energetic consumer of Twitter.

Neither Tesla nor Musk responded to requests for remark.

Twitter’s board figures prominently in discussions inside Twitter, extra so than at different tech firms, one worker stated. That is as a result of not like Meta Platforms, the place founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg controls the corporate by means of a twin class share construction, Twitter solely has a single class of shares making it extra susceptible to activists like Musk. Teams inside Twitter typically take into account the best way to talk a method or resolution to the board, for example, the worker stated.

Trump’s return

One worker aware of the corporate’s operations stated there aren’t any present plans to reinstate Trump. A Twitter spokesperson stated there aren’t any plans to reverse any coverage choices.

But a veteran auto analyst who covers Musk’s working model at Tesla stated it is seemingly solely a matter of time. “If Donald Trump was actually rich, he would have liked to have done the same thing but he couldn’t afford it. So Elon is doing what Trump would have liked to have done,” stated Guidehouse Insights analyst Sam Abuelsamid.

“I wouldn’t be surprised” if Twitter restores Trump’s account now that Elon owns practically 10 % of the corporate,” he said.

Longer term, employees said Musk’s involvement may change Twitter’s corporate culture, which they say currently values inclusivity. Musk has faced widespread criticism for posting memes that mock transgender people, efforts to stem the spread of COVID-19 and has compared world leaders to Hitler.

Several employees were alarmed by the warm welcome of Musk by Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal and co-founder Jack Dorsey, prompting them to hit the job market this week.

“Some individuals are dusting off their resumes,” one person said. “I do not need to work for any person (like Musk).”

© Thomson Reuters 2022