ELON MUSK WANTS TO REVOLUTIONIZE TWITTER

IN THE NAME OF FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION

On Friday October 28, Elon Musk formalized the news: he took the reins of the social network Twitter, bought for the sum of 44 billion US dollars.

Although Twitter has far fewer users than its competitors such as YouTube, Facebook, Instagram or even TikTok, Twitter is considered a real tool of influence, in particular because of its use by many figures in the political, artistic and media world. . In addition, it is common for the so-called "traditional" media to take up and comment on their own medium what was initially published on the blue bird platform, which increases the perception and reality of its importance for public discourse.

Upon the official takeover, the boss of Tesla and SpaceX indicated that he was acquiring the social network with the aim of revolutionizing Twitter.

" Freedom of speech "

First of all Elon Musk, this “absolutist of freedom of expression”, indicated that freedom of expression becomes the keystone of Twitter. According to him, it exists if “people you don't like are allowed to express ideas you don't like”. On his favorite digital medium, he claims that "the policies of a social media platform are good if the most extreme 10% on the left and right are equally unhappy."

Hence his relatively clear position: he spoke out against permanent suspensions of accounts, saying he preferred those of a temporary nature. In this, it would indeed deviate from the old practice of Twitter, which applies one or the other of these sanctions depending on the seriousness of the facts. One of his very first decisions, therefore, could be to reinstate the account of former US President Donald Trump, suspended for "incitement to violence" after the assault launched on the Capitol on January 6, 2021.

Alone at the helm, the boss of Tesla is already beginning his major overhaul Whoever is working to improve the situation, whether at the banking level (Paypal - when he was its director), at the energy level (Solar City), at the level of the transition to post-oil (Tesla), at the level of access to space (SpaceX), or at the level of Internet access for all (Starlink), explained Sunday wanting to make Twitter “the most trusted source of information on the world ”…

Its hunt for fake accounts and its desire to certify (blue check) users are a step in the right direction.

“More power to the people”

On the social network Twitter, the blue notch of certification can thus be obtained by everyone on the condition of paying a subscription of 8 dollars per month. “Extended Verification for All will democratize journalism and empower the people,” he tweeted on Sunday. “Twitter Blue” at $8 a month.

Until now, only eligible accounts (governments, media, political and cultural personalities, etc.) could indeed obtain the addition of a blue tick to their profile, as a guarantee of authenticity. However, as soon as he acquired Twitter ten days ago, the boss of Tesla launched an overhaul of this system, so that everyone could obtain the famous badge, and other practical tools, by subscribing to "Twitter Blue" to $8 per month.

On the iPhone, the social network's mobile application already mentions the arrival of the new formula, but its launch has been postponed to Wednesday, November 9, the day after the US parliamentary elections, according to the New York Times.

“Power to the people: Your account will receive a blue checkmark, just like the celebrities, businesses and politicians you already follow,” Twitter now promises.

"For the 'people', against the ruling 'elites'..."

According to Barthélémy Michalon, Professor at the Tec de Monterrey (Mexico), the communication of the boss of Twitter around his takeover follows the contours of what characterizes a populist discourse. And he analyzes as follows in the online media TheConversation.

'' Elon Musk has indeed made use of the tool he was about to acquire to directly address the community of users of the platform and collect their opinion on various subjects. While some questions were of a secondary nature (such as the famous "edit button" of a tweet already published), others touched on the very functioning of the platform and its impact on democracy. are reminiscent of the tendency, relatively marked among populist political formations, to call referendums or to promise the organization of them in their electoral programs. These online polls, real challenges launched in the public square to the status quo, also aimed to exert significant pressure on those who were then at the head of Twitter,

Musk went much further in this direction, affirming that the sidelining of the management team in place was an essential condition for the implementation of the major transformations promised on the platform. So he dismissed the main leaders of the platform, including CEO Parag Agrawal According to him, it was this intention that guided his decision to "transform Twitter into a private company" (it was then a "public" company in the Anglo-Saxon sense, because it is listed on the stock exchange), and therefore to take direct control of it. In his purchase offer, he promised bluntly: “I will unlock the potential of Twitter”.

… and in the name of a supposed “general will”

In order to satisfy this “general will”, Musk put on the table a series of proposals to evolve the platform, in particular during a public conversation, held on April 14 in the context of the annual conference of TED. Musk thus proposes to delete automated accounts (bots), (...). It also promises to eliminate fraudulent messages (scams), which aim to deceive their recipients, for economic purposes and/or piracy.''

Avoid misinformation or calls for violence

Freedom of expression as the keystone of Twitter is therefore one of the fundamental pillars of democracy. However Elon Trust also knows not only that Twitter will remain subject to national laws but that it will have to introduce another limiting factor by admitting that speech should be free there "as much as reasonably possible"... A strong desire to avoid the danger of misinformation or calls for violence that can circulate with such speed and ease.

“It is also the fears of companies to advertise on the platform, the possible increase in hate speech or misinformation in the name of the freedom of expression wanted by the new boss. Several groups, including Volkswagen​, General Mills​, Pfizer, have thus paused in their advertising purchases – still looking for an appropriate environment (“Brand Safety”) to promote their brands. General Motors has temporarily suspended its paid ads on Twitter.

Musk's revenge on advertisers

The billionaire, however, seems to have his revenge on the advertisers who have stopped their advertising on the social network. On Tuesday, November 9, 2022, the marketing teams received a document containing a question-and-answer session with employees. To be used in the sales pitch for advertising slots, it is indicated that Twitter welcomes 15 million additional monetizable daily users. In total, the internal memo indicates that the number of accounts that can generate revenue to “exceed a quarter of a billion”. Since the takeover of Elon Musk, the growth of daily active users has grown by more than 20%.

The latest official results from Twitter, in the second quarter, advanced a number of monetizable daily users of 237.8 million and 16.6% growth over the year.

This increase is true everywhere, but “even more in the United States”, specifies the document. An important detail since the American territory concentrates the majority of Twitter users, and therefore of its potential income. And no increase in hate speech would be observed. Despite a spike in hate and racist speech (due to targeted campaigns, assures Twitter), the internal document specifies that messages of this type remain within the historical standards of the platform. These tweets thus represent 0.25% to 0.45% of the hundreds of millions of publications per day.

The Elon Musk effect therefore seems to be verified.

“Twitter must become by far the most trusted source of news in the world. This is our mission. “, assures Elon Musk in his revolutionary project and his will to break in the name of freedom of expression.

“And to do that, I will let anyone give me money to appear as a legitimate source of information, instead of ensuring that all legitimate sources of information are properly authenticated,” one user responded. .

"You illustrate the problem", retorted Elon Musk. "Journalists who think they are the only legitimate source of information, that's the big lie". Or against good thinking...