Official: Elon Musk has bought Twitter [updated]

Elon Musk has completely taken over Twitter for a hefty $43 billion.

Two weeks ago we reported that Elon Musk wants to buy Twitter. In any case, the wealthy Tesla CEO then bought a large share of the company on which he shares his fantasies daily. It doesn’t stop there. According to sources, a complete takeover is not off the table. In fact, the deal would soon be closed.

Elon Musk buys Twitter

Sources report this to, among others: Reuters† It would be a $43 billion acquisition, a record high. The company would then go on the market for $ 54.20. Currently, the deal is not official yet, but the deal is in a major climax. So it would be official very soon.

free speech

Why? Because Musk wants to make Twitter the ultimate platform for freedom. We do not know what that means in concrete terms, but we do know that Musk has expressed himself several times about censorship on Twitter. Paying with cryptocurrency would also become an option on the platform. This also needs to be made more specific.

A bizarrely large purchase, but one that you could have seen coming. To be continued!

UPDATE 04-26: Twitter’s top executives have unanimously accepted the deal with Elon Musk. With that, the deal is complete and Musk has bought the platform for $ 43 billion. As mentioned, the main goal will be to “liberate” Twitter, or as Musk puts it, “to open the platform for freedom of speech and speech.” It all sounds nice and utopian, but there are already concerns.

Hate

If the changes are pushed through, there will be less moderation. That opens the door for activism, but also for unfounded hatred and incitement, it is feared. Several people have already announced that they do not want to see what the takeover of Twitter by Elon Musk will bring and say goodbye to Twitter. On the other hand, there is still nothing concrete about what will be done against hate symbols and the like, so it is too early to label things as definitive.

Donald Trump

Another point that is being raised again: does this mean that Donald Trump can return? During his presidency, Donald Trump caused a lot of controversy with his personal Twitter account, causing Twitter to ban him from the platform. Possibly, the new owner could decide that Trump is allowed again, under the guise of freedom of speech. The ex-president tells Fox News that he will not return to Twitter for personal reasons, but would rather focus on his new Twitter alternative, Truth Social. He does think that Elon Musk, of whom Trump is a fan, can improve Twitter.

Jack Dorsey

Jack Dorsey is the co-founder of Twitter and one of the senior leaders who make the decisions for the company. That committee has been the ‘boss’ of Twitter for years, because Dorsey firmly believes that Twitter should not have a boss. It is remarkable that he is also positive about the purchase by Elon Musk. Dorsey says that “if it has to be run, then by Elon Musk.” He trusts the Tesla and SpaceX CEO to successfully improve Twitter.

In short: it is still too early to know exactly what or how Twitter will change with Elon Musk at the helm. Some people are already drawing conclusions, others are just waiting. What we do know: with a $43 billion purchase, Musk has already hit record-breaking vicissitudes.