Musk polls Twitter users on whether he should step down
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Billionaire Elon Musk tweeted for the first time since losing an online poll asking users if he should step down as CEO of Twitter, telling them he would “go with the results.”
The poll attracted more than 17 million voters in just 12 hours, with 57.5 percent voting Yes.
The Tesla boss last night responded “interestingly” to a suggestion by Kim Dotcom, founder of the once-popular file-sharing website Megaupload, that the poll results had been skewed by fake accounts.
Another user suggested that “Blue subscribers should be the only ones allowed to vote in political polls.” Mr Musk responded by saying: “Good question. Twitter will make this change. Twitter Blue is a paid subscription that allows users to purchase a verification badge for their accounts.
His survey comes amid the latest uproar over a policy banning users from linking to certain competing social media websites, including Facebook, Instagram and Mastodon.
Twitter then reversed the policy within hours. “There will be a vote on major policy changes in the future. My apologies. It won’t happen again,” he added.
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Elon Musk’s security team allegedly hit a driver during a ‘crazy chase’ incident.
The South Pasadena Police Department confirmed it is investigating the Dec. 13 incident that the Tesla billionaire tweeted about.
Graham Massey December 20, 2022 11:34 pm
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The Twitter investor expects to return five times his money
One of the biggest investors to join Elon Musk’s $44 billion purchase of Twitter says it expects to make up to five times its money back.
Aliya Capital Partners LLC, which invested $360 million alongside the Tesla billionaire, says it is confident he will be able to monetize the platform’s 229 million daily users, who “have historically been under-monetized.”
“We believe Twitter will generate returns of 4-5x in just a few years, with relatively limited downside risk,” Aliya CEO Ross Kestin said in a statement.
Graham Massey December 20, 2022 10:56 pm
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Elon Musk and Adam Schiff are arguing again on Twitter
The billionaire asked the California lawmaker if he endorsed “covert government censorship in direct violation of the United States Constitution.”
Mr. Schiff was quick to turn the tables on the Twitter owner.
“I do not support censorship. Or hate speech. As the (outgoing) CEO of Twitter, how about you? Why not do more to stop the slurs against black people, LGBTQ+ people, Jews and others? Are you committed to providing the public with actual answers and data, not just tweets?” he wrote.
Graham Massey December 20, 2022 7:47 pm
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Tesla’s stock price continues to fall in 2022
Tesla’s stock price fell another 6% on Tuesday after a number of brokerages cut their price targets on the electric vehicle maker’s stock.
This came in the wake of Elon Musk’s $44 billion purchase of Twitter and the chaos that has occurred on the social media platform since then.
Tesla shares hit $140.86 on Tuesday, above a two-year low, Reuters reported.
(Getty Images)
Graham Massey December 20, 2022 7:18 pm
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Are Elon Musk’s Twitter Antics Hurting Tesla?
Tesla investors are reportedly unhappy with what they see as a major distraction from Musk. The electric carmaker is currently experiencing its biggest share selloff since it went public 12 years ago (see chart below), and the CEO’s Twitter antics are thought to be a big factor in that $600 billion plunge.
We heard from Antoine Arguge, the founder of ethical investment group Tulipshare:
Elon Musk’s decision to call on Twitter users to vote on whether he should remain CEO is the latest in a string of controversial decisions that have undermined his reputation and credibility in [Tesla] shareholders.
it is the latest move in a long line of actions that demonstrate his instability and how his preoccupation with Twitter is damaging trust among his shareholders. Tesla’s market value has plummeted since Musk’s takeover of Twitter, and its performance shows how Tesla’s board has failed to hold Musk accountable — it’s time for shareholders to act.
Backed by retail investors, we want Elon Musk’s pay to be linked to his environmental, social and governance performance. Tesla’s board and its shareholders must take greater responsibility to adopt and deliver on more ambitious ESG commitments – and retail investors have a vital role to play in holding them accountable. Through shareholder activism, we are calling for Musk’s pay to be linked to ESG, demanding better governance, and achieving environmental and worker rights across the economy.
Antoine Arguge
Anthony Cuthbertson December 20, 2022 4:39 pm
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Elon Musk shares latest ‘Twitter files’ claims.
The main tweet – at least for now – is back with tweeting.
Ignoring ongoing speculation about who might replace him at the social media firm, Musk instead returned to another favorite topic of recent days: The Twitter files.
“The government paid Twitter millions of dollars to censor information from the public,” he wrote while retweeting “part 7” of the Twitter files.
“Other social media companies too,” he added, “not just Twitter.”
Anthony Cuthbertson December 20, 2022 3:40 pm
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Elon Musk is “actively looking” for a new Twitter CEO
Elon Musk is reportedly “actively looking” for a new Twitter CEO, according to sources cited by CNBC.
There is no word on who might be a potential successor, although several figures have been put forward — including rapper Snoop Dogg and computer scientist Lex Friedman.
“It’s not about finding a CEO, it’s about finding a CEO to keep Twitter alive,” Musk tweeted Sunday night.
Anthony Cuthbertson December 20, 2022 2:50 pm
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Tesla shares are experiencing worst selloff since 2010
Shares in Tesla tumbled after Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter, with some of the electric carmaker’s major shareholders complaining that their CEO was distracted by Twitter.
Since its peak in November 2021, Tesla shares are down more than 62 percent. It’s Tesla’s worst selloff since the company went public in 2010.
Musk addressed the stock’s slide last Friday, blaming the $600 billion loss on forces beyond his control. “Tesla is doing better than ever!” he tweeted. “We don’t control the Federal Reserve. That’s the real problem here.”
(Google/Nasdaq)
Anthony Cuthbertson December 20, 2022 2:24 pm
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Musk appears to be fueling the idea that bots were involved in the Twitter poll debacle
On Monday night, Mr Musk appeared to fuel the theory that bots were to blame for his defeat in a poll on whether he should remain Twitter’s chief executive.
Earlier on Monday, an account with the username Wall Street Silver quote-tweeted a side-by-side comparison of the poll on whether to reinstate former President Donald Trump’s account with the poll on Mr. Musk’s continued leadership on Twitter.
The former poll had approximately 15 million votes and 836,000 likes, while the later poll had nearly 15 million votes and only 312,000 likes. This led Wall Street Silver to wonder, “Were there bots in Elon’s poll yesterday?”
Mr Musk replied: “Interesting.” It’s not clear why there would be any relationship between voting in a Twitter poll and liking a tweet, two different actions that don’t seem directly related.
Abe Asher December 20, 2022 1:30 pm
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Musk Says ‘No Successor’
Even if Elon Musk steps down as head of Twitter, choosing a successor may not be so easy.
“No one wants the job that can actually keep Twitter alive,” he tweeted overnight. “There is no heir.”
One of those stepping forward to offer his services is Lex Friedman, an AI researcher, computer scientist, and popular podcast host.
“Let me get Twitter going for a bit,” he tweeted at Musk. “There is no salary. Focus on great engineering and increasing the amount of love in the world. I’m just offering my help in the unlikely event that it’s helpful.
Musk replied: “You must really like pain. One catch: you have to invest your life savings in Twitter, and it’s been on the fast lane for bankruptcy since May. Do you still want the job?’
Alicia Rahaman Sarkar December 20, 2022 1:00 PM
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