Twitter-Musk News Timeline: Musk Lets Trump Back Onto Twitter

Twitter’s new proprietor and CEO, Elon Musk, has been making dramatic adjustments since he finalized a deal to purchase the corporate for about $44 billion on Oct. 27. After shedding half the workers, he gave remaining workers an ultimatum this week to pledge to work underneath his new intense tradition or get out. Many, it appears, determined to go away.

Twitter’s saga with Musk, who additionally runs automaker Tesla and aerospace firm SpaceX, was chaotic even earlier than he took management. He signed a deal in April to accumulate the corporate however then tried to again out of it, main Twitter to sue him. After months of pretrial skirmishes, Musk closed the acquisition simply earlier than a court-ordered deadline. 

This is the newest information about Musk’s takeover of Twitter:

Nov. 19: Musk lets Trump again on Twitter

Elon Musk reversed former US President Donald Trump’s everlasting ban from Twitter on Saturday, opening the door for the controversial politician to regain his social media megaphone.

Musk had polled customers on Twitter about whether or not Trump ought to be allowed again onto the platform. The ultimate outcomes of that ballot confirmed 51.8% in favor of reinstating Trump and 48.2% towards.

“The individuals have spoken,” Musk tweeted. “Trump can be reinstated.” An account with the acquainted title @realDonaldTrump confirmed up on the location Saturday. Twitter, like different social networks, had booted Trump after the lethal Jan. 6 Capitol Hill riots.

Individually, Bloomberg reported that Musk is contemplating firing extra workers on the gross sales and partnership facet. He reportedly requested leaders, together with Robin Wheeler, the top of gross sales and advertising, to fireside extra workers. Wheeler refused and misplaced her job (she lists herself as an ex-Twitter gross sales exec on her profile). 

Twitter, which has laid off its communications division, did not reply to a query despatched to its its press electronic mail.

Nov. 18: Musk asks engineers to come back to the workplace. Beforehand banned accounts get reinstated

Twitter workers have been locked out of the corporate’s headquarters, however Musk reportedly despatched an electronic mail asking for some software program engineers to go again into the workplace, in line with Bloomberg. Musk requested the coders to satisfy with him and supply examples of their coding work with a view to assist him higher perceive the software program. 

Musk tweeted concerning the firm’s coverage on speech saying sure tweets won’t have “freedom of attain.”

“Damaging/hate tweets can be max deboosted & demonetized, so no advertisements or different income to Twitter,” he stated. “You will not discover the tweet except you particularly search it out, which isn’t any completely different from remainder of web.”

Musk adopted that tweet with one other saying conservative media persona Jordan Peterson, right-wing satire website The Babylon Bee and comic Kathy Griffin may have their banned accounts reinstated. Twitter booted Peterson and The Babylon Bee from the platform earlier within the yr over anti-trans tweets whereas Griffin had her account suspended final week for altering it right into a Musk parody account. 

Musk additionally tweeted that Twitter hasn’t decided relating to former President Donald Trump’s account, however Yoel Roth, the previous head of belief and security at Twitter, stated in a New York Instances opinion piece printed Nov. 18 that the ex-president’s reinstatement was “close to certainty.” Twitter banned Trump from its platform in 2021 due to considerations his remarks might spark extra violence after the lethal Jan. 6 Capitol Hill riot. 

Roth, who resigned from the corporate, wrote how Musk referred to as for extra censoring of tweets after a surge of hate speech confirmed up on the platform following his takeover. He additionally went on to elucidate the necessity for content material moderation was not solely necessary to maintain advertisers completely happy, but it surely additionally was wanted to appease app retailer house owners and authorities entities, such because the European Union, which have legal guidelines towards hate speech. 

In a 24-hour ballot on Twitter, Musk requested customers if Trump’s account ought to be reinstated.

Twitter customers are nonetheless nervous concerning the platform’s potential loss of life, particularly forward of high-traffic occasions such because the FIFA World Cup that kicks off on Nov. 20. The New York Instances, citing three individuals near the corporate, reported that some estimates confirmed that not less than 1,200 workers resigned on Nov. 17 after Musk gave them a selection to remain or go away. 

Person security is one other huge concern on Twitter. CNN reporter Oliver Darcy tweeted that the White House is asking Twitter to elucidate the way it’s safeguarding “the protection of People’ on-line knowledge.” The White Home did not instantly reply to a request for remark.

Nov. 17: Twitter customers worry finish is close to. Musk locks workplace doorways. Many workers take severance. Senators need investigation

Twitter customers began tweeting farewell remarks as #RIPTwitter trended on the platform within the US and different components of the world. 

Fears a couple of potential collapse of the location got here after lots of of workers determined to go away the corporate earlier within the day. One former Twitter worker advised The Washington Publish that there is not any longer a “skeleton crew manning the system.” 

Twitter “will proceed to coast till it runs into one thing, after which it’ll cease,” the worker stated. 

Musk tweeted a meme with Twitter’s brand on a headstone. 

The remaining 3,500 or so workers who have been left at Twitter after 1000’s have been laid off had a option to make on the finish of the day on Nov. 17: Stay underneath Musk’s plan for an intense “Twitter 2.0” or go away with three months of severance pay.

As much as 75% of remaining workers selected the exit, in line with Fortune and Bloomberg, creating confusion about what number of remaining individuals would have entry to the places of work. The Verge reported that those that left included some “legendary” engineers and coders.

Across the identical time, the corporate apparently locked the doorways to its San Francisco headquarters till Nov. 21, in line with tech newsletter Platformer. 

Twitter, which can now not have a public relations division, did not reply to a request for remark.

All of this occurred after Musk softened his stance on how he needed to run the brand new Twitter, not less than considerably. An electronic mail despatched to Twitter workers on Nov. 9 stated distant work could be banned, however an electronic mail to workers on Nov. 17 acknowledged that distant work is feasible if authorised, in line with a report from Bloomberg. 

“All that’s required for approval is that your supervisor takes duty for making certain that you’re making a wonderful contribution,” Musk stated within the electronic mail. He additionally needs workers to have in-person staff conferences not less than as soon as a month. 

Twitter can also be going through extra scrutiny from US lawmakers.  A gaggle of Democratic senators despatched a letter to Lina Khan, the chairwoman of the US Federal Commerce Fee. Outlined within the letter are what the legislators described as “alarming steps” taken by Musk together with new options which have been utilized by scammers, a rise in hate speech and the removing of cybersecurity executives inside the firm, doubtlessly placing customers’ private knowledge in danger. 

The senators level out that these actions might place the corporate in violation of the FTC’s consent decree to guard this knowledge as a part of a settlement with the fee in 2011. 

“We urge the Fee to vigorously oversee its consent decree with Twitter and to deliver enforcement actions towards any breaches or enterprise practices which are unfair or misleading, together with bringing civil penalties and imposing legal responsibility on particular person Twitter executives the place applicable,” the senators stated. 

Among the many seven senators who signed the letter are Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Cory Booker of New Jersey. 

Twitter violated the consent decree in Could when the FTC discovered the corporate used safety knowledge like telephone numbers and electronic mail addresses to focus on promoting at customers. This led to a $150 million settlement paid by Twitter.

Musk appeared to finish the day poking enjoyable at his earlier warning that Twitter could go bankrupt.

Twitter has not responded to a number of requests for remark.

Nov. 16: Musk calls for ‘hardcore’ work tradition. Dorsey’s ‘nope’

Musk emailed all workers to outline his vision for “Twitter 2.0,” which would require an “extraordinarily hardcore” tradition, with lengthy hours and excessive depth, in line with Pragmatic Engineer author (and former Uber engineer) Gergely Orosz. Workers should conform to this on Thursday or go away with three months of severance pay. 

Throughout testimony Wednesday over a Tesla shareholder case alleging that his wage as CEO is extreme, Musk additionally reportedly advised the courtroom that he doesn’t need to be CEO of Tesla, and that his chief govt management of Twitter is a brief association.

“I count on to scale back my time at Twitter and discover any individual else to run Twitter over time,” he stated, in line with CNBC.

Twitter did not reply to a request for remark.

When a follower requested Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey if he’d contemplate returning as CEO, Dorsey responded with a agency “nope.” There is no indication that he obtained a suggestion to return — the follower’s question got here after Dorsey engaged in dialog about Twitter’s future and expressed confidence that the location would survive. His earlier tenure as CEO led to Could 2021, and he left its board of administrators in Could 2022. 

Nov. 15: Employees fired for talking about Musk on Slack

Workers who criticized Elon Musk in Twitter’s Slack channels were fired overnight via email, Platformer’s Casey Newton stated in a tweet. They have been apparently advised their “latest habits has violated firm coverage.” It is unclear how many individuals have been affected.

Twitter did not reply to a request for remark.

Nov. 14: Musk needs larger Twitter video help

Talking by way of video hyperlink, Musk advised enterprise leaders in the course of the G20 summit in Bali that he needs to see Twitter help extra longer-form video to usher in extra content material creators. He additionally famous that he is been working “on the absolute most quantity … from morning til evening, seven days per week” for the reason that acquisition.

Nov. 13: SpaceX reportedly buys main Twitter advert bundle

SpaceX, Musk’s aerospace firm, ordered a Twitter “takeover” promoting bundle for its satellite tv for pc web service Starlink, CNBC reported. It will seemingly promote the service on individuals’s Twitter timelines in Spain and Australia and may value greater than $250,000. It comes after some advertisers paused campaigns because of the upheaval at Twitter. 

SpaceX did not reply to a request for remark.

Nov. 12: Hundreds of contract workers seemingly terminated

Twitter minimize 1000’s of contract workers, in line with Platformer’s Casey Newton, Axios and CNBC, with Newton reporting that round 4,400 of Twitter’s roughly 5,500 contractors have been affected. Most did not get any discover and came upon as a result of they misplaced entry to the corporate’s electronic mail and inside communications methods, Newton reported.

The corporate did not reply to a request for remark.

Nov. 11: Twitter Blue subscription choice vanishes

The choice to join the $8 a month subscription service Twitter Blue is now not accessible on Twitter’s iOS app, as earlier reported by The Verge. The shift comes days after the service launched for Apple gadgets and previous to its Android launch. Trying to subscribe on desktop directs you to the iOS app.

CNET can verify that this manifests in two distinct methods: the choice to subscribe has vanished from the sidebar, and tapping the hyperlink offers you an error message. 

“Thanks to your curiosity!” it reads. “Twitter Blue can be accessible in your nation sooner or later. Please verify again later.”

It is unclear why the corporate paused signups for the service, however a lot of customers reportedly purchased verification to impersonate brands and celebrities. An internal note posted on Slack stated it stopped individuals from subscribing “to assist tackle impersonation points,” in line with tech outlet Platformer’s Zoë Schiffer.

Twitter did not reply to CNET’s request for remark.

Nov. 10: Musk bans distant work and warns of chapter, legal professional says he is risking billions in FTC fines

Musk despatched his first emails to workers on Nov. 9, warning that “the financial image forward is dire.” He banned distant work except he personally authorised it, in line with Bloomberg, whereas The New York Instances reported that he advised staff “absolutely the prime precedence is discovering and suspending any verified bots/trolls/spam.”

An legal professional on Twitter’s privateness staff posted a message within the firm’s Slack warning that Musk’s give attention to monetizing its customers is making him take harmful steps, The Verge reported. It is apparently at specific danger of incurring billions in fines from the Federal Commerce Fee within the wake of a Could settlement relating to the usage of private information to focus on advertisements.

Twitter’s chief privateness officer, Damien Kieran; Chief Info Safety Officer Lea Kissner; and Chief Compliance Officer Marianne Fogarty all resigned, The Verge famous. Kissner’s departure confirmed her departure in a tweet.

Musk additionally reportedly advised workers chapter was a risk, Bloomberg reported, citing an individual accustomed to the matter. Two extra Twitter executives — Yoel Roth, the corporate’s head of belief and security, and Robin Wheeler, who led advertising and gross sales at Twitter — additionally resigned, in line with the report. Wheeler then determined to remain on the firm after Musk persuaded her to take action, Bloomberg reported. Roth, Wheeler and Musk’s lawyer Alex Spiro did not reply to a request for remark. 

Nov. 9: Musk tries to reassure advertisers amid confusion about verify marks

Twitter’s rollout of a new verification system is messy. Twitter began including grey verify marks and an “official” label to high-profile Twitter accounts however then scrapped among the adjustments hours later.

In an hour-long stay audio chat on Twitter later within the day, Musk stated the brand new labels are an “aesthetic nightmare when wanting on the Twitter feed” and “one other manner of making a two-class system.” 

Esther Crawford, who oversees early-stage merchandise at Twitter, tweeted that the corporate would nonetheless be rolling out the “official” label however to authorities and business entities first. Twitter additionally began permitting individuals so as to add blue verify marks to their profiles in the event that they pay $8 a month for a Twitter Blue subscription. Scammers are already utilizing the brand new system to create pretend accounts. Twitter stated it could droop accounts engaged in misleading ways and impersonation.

Within the audio chat, Musk mentioned Twitter’s plans for a content material moderation council and selections by corporations to quickly pause their promoting campaigns on Twitter.

“I do not assume having hate speech subsequent to an advert is nice. Clearly,” he stated. Musk additionally stated he thinks it’ll take Twitter a few months to create a content material moderation council. 

He signaled, although, that he is not planning to decelerate in relation to altering Twitter. 

“The speed of evolution of Twitter can be an immense step change in comparison with what it has been prior to now,” he stated. “, if nothing else, I’m a technologist and I could make know-how go quick.”

Nov. 6: Paid verify marks could also be pushed again, Musk cracks down on impersonation

Paid verification reportedly delayed till after election

Twitter is suspending the rollout of verification badges related to an $8 month-to-month subscription service till after the midterm elections, in line with The New York Instances.

Impersonators get the boot

Musk warned that any Twitter account partaking in impersonation with out clearly specifying that it is parody would get hit with a everlasting ban. In response, some customers modified their names to “Elon Musk,” which led to their suspension.

Nov. 5: Paying for verify marks, listening to from Dorsey

Pay-for-verification plan exhibits up in iOS replace

Model notes for the newest iteration of Twitter’s app for the Apple iPhone confirmed up within the App Retailer, with a What’s New part that pointed to the verification characteristic. The notes inform customers that “beginning at present” when you “enroll now” for an $8-a-month Twitter Blue subscription, “your account will get a blue verify mark, similar to the celebrities, corporations, and politicians you already comply with.” It seems, although, that this system hasn’t truly kicked in but. Learn extra right here.

Dorsey weighs in

With information stories saying Twitter had laid off about half its workers, co-founder and former CEO Jack Dorsey took to the service to supply phrases of encouragement and to position blame on himself.

“I personal the duty for why everyone seems to be on this state of affairs: I grew the corporate dimension too rapidly. I apologize for that,” Dorsey tweeted. He additionally referred to as Twitter staffers previous and current “resilient” and said, “I’m grateful for, and love, everybody who has ever labored on Twitter. I do not count on that to be mutual on this second.”

In April, Dorsey expressed his help of Musk taking on the corporate, however he additionally stated that in precept, he thought nobody ought to personal or run Twitter and that it ought to as an alternative be “a public good.”

Nov. 4: Musk says Twitter has had ‘large drop’ in income

Since Musk’s takeover, a number of main advertisers, resembling Tesla rival Normal Motors, meals firm Normal Mills and pharmaceutical company Pfizer, have quickly paused their advert campaigns on Twitter. Musk tweeted that Twitter has had a “large drop” in income, which he blamed on activist teams pressuring advertisers. Musk did not say in his tweet how a lot Twitter’s income has fallen, nor did he establish the activists. Within the tweet, Musk additionally stated Twitter hasn’t modified its content material moderation insurance policies. 

Musk additionally made an look on the Baron Funding Convention, the place he famous that Twitter grappled with income challenges earlier than the acquisition and that he tried to get out of the deal.

His remarks got here after Twitter began shedding workers. Musk later tweeted that there was “no selection when the corporate is dropping over $4M/day.” With out specifying how many individuals have been laid off or what proportion of the workforce, Musk added they have been “provided 3 months of severance.” Reportedly, about half of Twitter’s 7,500-person work drive was laid off.

Civil rights teams that met with Musk spoke out concerning the layoffs.

“For starters, there is not any technique to preserve election integrity in place if you’re slicing capability to do the monitoring in #TwitterLayoffs,” tweeted Rashad Robinson, president of racial justice group Shade of Change. The group is a part of #StopToxicTwitter, a coalition of greater than 60 organizations which are urging main advertisers to pause spending and spend money on content material moderation. Companions listed on the coalition’s web site embody the Anti-Defamation League, the NAACP, Public Citizen, and the Union of Involved Scientists.

The Volkswagen Group and others reportedly paused advert spending due to considerations that advertisements might seem alongside problematic content material on the platform.

Nov. 3: Musk seems for tactics to chop prices, lawsuit filed

Musk needs to chop prices and make Twitter much less depending on promoting. 

Reuters, citing two sources accustomed to the matter and an inside Slack message, reported that Musk directed Twitter’s staff to search out greater than $1 billion in infrastructure value financial savings.

The corporate is different methods to make cash exterior of promoting, together with “paywalled” movies and paid direct messages, The New York Instances reported, citing two individuals with data of the matter and inside paperwork.

Musk is already making adjustments to Twitter’s work tradition. Bloomberg reported that Musk has eliminated “days of relaxation” from Twitter’s worker calendars and plans to cancel the corporate’s distant work coverage. Twitter did not reply to a request for remark.

Twitter reportedly advised workers in an electronic mail that layoffs would occur. A lawsuit in search of class motion standing, accused Twitter of violating the federal Employee Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act, which requires giant corporations to offer not less than 60 days of advance discover earlier than mass layoffs, as beforehand reported by Bloomberg.

Nov. 2: Musk reportedly plans to chop half of Twitter’s workforce

Musk plans to chop about 3,700 jobs at Twitter, or half of the social media firm’s workforce, Bloomberg reported. Affected staffers are to be told of their destiny by Nov. 4, sources advised the information outlet.

Musk additionally plans to reverse the corporate’s current work-from-anywhere coverage, requiring remaining workers to report back to an workplace, the unidentified sources stated.

In a single situation for lowering Twitter’s workforce being thought of, laid off staff can be provided 60 days’ price of severance pay. Twitter customers have been bracing for layoffs since Musk introduced his bid for Twitter in April. One report indicated that Musk deliberate to chop 75% of jobs at Twitter.

Nov. 1: Musk suggests charging for verification

In a collection of tweets, Musk floated the concept that Twitter cost $8 per 30 days for a verified blue verify mark as a part of its subscription plan. The corporate’s subscription service, often called Twitter Blue, at the moment prices $5 per 30 days however would not embody verification as a perk.

Twitter at the moment would not cost to confirm accounts with a blue verify mark, and the badge is meant to be given out to accounts that the corporate determines are “notable, genuine and energetic.” The blue verify mark is supposed to assist customers decide if an account of a celeb, journalist or different public determine is pretend or not.

Musk tweeted that the value could be adjusted by nation and that the subscription would come with “precedence in replies, mentions & search, which is crucial to defeat spam/rip-off,” in addition to the “capacity to publish lengthy video & audio.” He additionally stated customers would see “half as many advertisements.” 

Earlier within the day, The Wall Avenue Journal reported that Twitter Blue subscribers will lose entry to ad-free articles from publishers like Vox, the Los Angeles Instances and Insider. There have been varied stories of various costs for a Twitter Blue subscription, with the corporate additionally reportedly having thought of growing the subscription worth to $20 a month.

It is unclear from Musk’s tweets if verified customers must pay for a subscription or lose their blue verify mark. Musk tweeted there could be “a secondary tag” for public figures, just like the one now used for politicians.

The corporate’s chief buyer officer, Sarah Personette, additionally revealed in a tweet that she resigned.

In the meantime, Twitter stated it has eliminated 1,500 accounts since Oct. 29 for posting hateful content material.

Oct. 31: Official CEO, board dissolved, layoff plans, no Trump choice but, content material moderation restricted

Days after naming himself “Chief Twit” on his Twitter profile, Musk confirmed he is the corporate’s CEO by means of a securities submitting. Different adjustments to Twitter’s management are additionally underway. A associated securities submitting exhibits Twitter’s board of administrators was dissolved the day Musk took over and recognized Musk because the “sole director” of the corporate. 

He additionally reportedly plans to put off 25% of Twitter’s workforce, The Washington Publish reported, citing nameless sources. 

Musk, who has beforehand stated he would reverse former US President Donald Trump’s everlasting ban from Twitter, continues to be getting questions on whether or not he’ll comply with by means of on that. Twitter booted Trump from its platform in 2021 following the lethal US Capitol Hill riot due to considerations that his remarks might incite extra violence. 

“If I had a greenback for each time somebody requested me if Trump is coming again on this platform, Twitter could be minting cash!” Musk tweeted. 

Twitter additionally restricted some Belief and Security worker entry to inside instruments, Bloomberg reported, curbing their capacity to reasonable content material and tackle misinformation forward of subsequent week’s US elections. They will apparently nonetheless edit or take away posts that would end in real-world hurt.

“That is precisely what we (or any firm) ought to be doing within the midst of a company transition to scale back alternatives for insider danger. We’re nonetheless implementing our guidelines at scale,” Yoel Roth, Twitter’s head of security and integrity, tweeted in response to Bloomberg’s story.

Oct. 30: Musk toys with verify mark adjustments and Vine revival, tweets misinformation

Musk has been busy suggesting adjustments to Twitter. He tweeted a ballot about whether or not Twitter ought to deliver again Vine, a short-form video app that Twitter shut down in 2017. 

Twitter additionally reportedly plans to cost $20 per 30 days for its Twitter Blue subscription service, and verified customers would lose their blue verify mark if they do not achieve this in 90 days, The Verge reported, citing nameless sources. Platformer’s Casey Newton reported that Twitter is considering charging $5 a month to verified customers in the event that they need to preserve their blue verify marks.

Musk additionally tweeted after which deleted a hyperlink to an article with a baseless conspiracy idea about final week’s assault on Paul Pelosi, the husband of US Home Speaker Nancy Pelosi, in San Francisco. The article got here from an internet site referred to as the Santa Monica Observer. Reality-checking web site Media Bias/Reality Test famous the outlet publishes right-wing misinformation. 

Oct. 29: Twitter battles a surge in racist slurs

Twitter is attempting to fight nameless accounts that began to tweet racist slurs hours after Musk took over Twitter. 

Twitter head of security and integrity Yoel Roth tweeted that the corporate has “seen a small variety of accounts publish a ton of tweets that embody slurs and different derogatory phrases.” He added that “greater than 50,000 tweets repeatedly utilizing a selected slur got here from simply 300 accounts.”

“Backside line up entrance: Twitter’s insurance policies have not modified. Hateful conduct has no place right here. And we’re taking steps to place a cease to an organized effort to make individuals assume we now have,” he tweeted.

Oct. 28: Twitter to type content material moderation council

Advocacy teams have raised considerations that Musk’s management over Twitter would permit extra hate speech and misinformation to floor on the platform. Musk has vowed publicly he would not need Twitter to change into a “free-for-all hellscape” however has additionally stated that he is “towards censorship that goes far past the regulation.”

Musk stated the corporate would type a content material moderation council with “extensively various viewpoints.” The corporate will not make any main content material selections or account reinstatements earlier than the council convenes, he tweeted.

A securities submitting on Oct. 28 additionally famous that Twitter’s inventory is being delisted on the New York Inventory Alternate. Twitter, a publicly traded firm, grew to become a non-public one. 

Oct. 27: Musk takes over Twitter, fires executives

Musk grew to become Twitter’s new proprietor and reportedly fired key executives on the firm, together with Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal, CFO Ned Segal and Vijaya Gadde, Twitter’s head of authorized coverage, belief and security.

Earlier within the day, Musk tweeted a letter to advertisers. The billionaire, who as soon as tweeted that he hated promoting, now posted that “promoting, when finished proper, can delight, entertain and inform you.” 

Musk met with workers all through the week, carried a sink into Twitter’s headquarters as a photograph op and altered his profile to “Chief Twit” earlier than information broke that the deal had been accomplished.

CNET workers contributed to this report.