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Tag: Elon Musk

  • Twitter May Roll Out End-to-End Encryption for Direct Messages

    Twitter May Roll Out End-to-End Encryption for Direct Messages

    Twitter is the latest platform interested in end-to-end encryption (E2EE), reportedly looking to roll it out for Direct Messages.

    E2EE is a common feature in most major communication apps, such as Signal, WhatsApp, iMessage, and Google’s RCS messages. E2EE protects communications, ensuring only the sender and recipient can read them.

    According to BGR, Twitter is working to implement E2EE in Direct Messages. While the company originally began working on the feature in 2018, it never actually implemented it.

    The renewed interest in E2EE was uncovered by Jane Manchun Wong, a well-known app researcher. Wong discovered references to the feature in code for the Android Twitter client. Interestingly, Elon Musk replied to Wong’s tweet with a winking emoji.

    There’s not official word on the feature, and certainly no release date, but E2EE will be a welcome upgrade whenever it debuts.

  • John Legere Offers Elon Musk Help, Musk Rebuffs It

    John Legere Offers Elon Musk Help, Musk Rebuffs It

    John Legere, the famous former T-Mobile CEO, offered to run Twitter for Elon Musk, an offer Musk brusquely turned down.

    Legere is something of a legend in the business world after transforming T-Mobile from the fourth-place carrier to the powerhouse it is today. Most CEOs would welcome his insight into turning a company around, but Musk isn’t most CEOs. Twitter’s new boss rebuffed Legere’s offer to run the company.

    Legere took the rejection in stride, offering some free advice to Musk:

    At this time, Musk has yet to respond to Legere.

  • Elon Musk Says a Twitter Bankruptcy Is on the Table

    Elon Musk Says a Twitter Bankruptcy Is on the Table

    Elon Musk has dropped a bombshell on employees, saying a Twitter bankruptcy was not out of the question.

    Since his purchase of the social media platform, Musk has conducted mass layoffs, fired top executives, let much of the moderation team go, made an utter mess of the platform’s verification system, killed off remote work and, to top it all off, is now saying the company could go bankrupt.

    Zoë Schiffer, Platformer’s Managing Editor, shared the news via Twitter:

    While the company hasn’t made a profit since 2019, things seem to be taking a major downturn since Musk took over. The company has lost some of its biggest advertisers over concerns about an increase in hate speech since Musk’s purchase, raising further doubt about the company’s financial future.

  • Elon Musk Kills Remote Work at Twitter

    Elon Musk Kills Remote Work at Twitter

    The changes at Twitter keep on rolling in, with new boss Elon Musk killing off remote work in an email to staff.

    Like many tech companies, Twitter embraced remote and hybrid work during the pandemic and has kept those policies in place as things have returned to normal. The writing was on the wall, however, with few tech bosses being more anti-remote work than Elon Musk.

    According to Bloomberg, Musk has killed remote work in his first email to Twitter staff. He said there was “no way to sugarcoat the message” and said the economic headwinds required new rules, including that all employees be in the office at least 40 hours a week. Musk he would consider any exceptions on a case-by-case basis.

    Musk made clear that one of the company’s primary goals should be eliminating spam/bot accounts.

    “The road ahead is arduous and will require intense work to succeed,” Musk wrote. In another email, he said that “over the next few days, the absolute top priority is finding and suspending any verified bots/trolls/spam.”

  • Twitter Loses Oreo Maker Over an Increase in Hate Speech

    Twitter Loses Oreo Maker Over an Increase in Hate Speech

    Twitter continues to lose advertisers in the wake of Elon Musk’s takeover, the latest being Mondelez International, the makers of Oreo cookies.

    Musk has claimed to be a major free speech proponent. In one of this first moves as Twitter’s new owner, the tech mogul slashed the moderation team. As a result, there has been a significant uptick in hate speech on the platform and it is scaring advertisers away.

    “What we’ve seen recently since the change on Twitter has been announced, is the amount of hate speech increase significantly,” Mondelez CEO Van de Put told Reuters. “We felt there is a risk our advertising would appear next to the wrong messages.

    “As a consequence, we have decided to take a pause and a break until that risk is as low as possible,” he added.

    General Mills, United Airlines Holdings, and various automakers have also suspended advertising on the platform in a blow to Musk’s attempts to make Twitter more profitable.

  • Elon Musk Plans to Suspend Impersonating Accounts on Twitter

    Elon Musk Plans to Suspend Impersonating Accounts on Twitter

    Elon Musk says Twitter accounts that impersonate others will be permanently suspended unless they are clearly marked as parody accounts.

    Musk makes clear that, while Twitter previously warned impersonating accounts before suspension, they will no longer receive a warning since the platform is “rolling out widespread verification.”

    It seems that Musk’s threats may be in response to celebrities changing their names to “Elon Musk” and mocking the tech mogul’s actions, including laying off much of the content moderation team, laying off workers, and charging more for Twitter Blue.

    Needless to say, Musk is already being criticized, especially given his adamant pro-free speech stance.

  • Twitter Layoffs to Begin

    Twitter Layoffs to Begin

    Twitter has notified employees that layoffs will soon begin, with notifications being sent via email.

    Elon Musk finalized his acquisition of Twitter in late October amid rumors that he planned to gut the company’s workforce. Despite claiming the reported 75% layoff target was inaccurate, no one really believed Musk wasn’t going to lay off at least some of the company’s staff.

    According to NBC News, Twitter sent an email Thursday notifying employees of the impending layoffs.

    “We recognize that this will impact a number of individuals who have made valuable contributions to Twitter, but this action is unfortunately necessary to ensure the company’s success moving forward,” the email said.

    An employee told NBC News the layoff email was the first communication since Musk’s takeover of the company, contributing to a demoralizing impact.

    “It’s total chaos, house melting down, everyone looking towards this email,” the employee said.

  • Twitter Users Fleeing the Platform Following Musk’s Buyout

    Twitter Users Fleeing the Platform Following Musk’s Buyout

    Twitter has a retention problem, with more than one million users leaving the platform.

    Musk’s Twitter takeover has been rocky, to say the least. Some of its top executives have been fired or resigned, content moderation has been scaled back, and major changes have been made to the verification process.

    Amid the changes, it appears the platform is dealing with a mass exodus, according to MIT Technology Review. Citing data from firm Bot Sentinel, some 877,000 accounts were deactivated. What’s more, an additional 497,000 accounts were suspended. This is roughly twice the normal number for the period analyzed.

    Read more: Mastodon Experiences Massive Growth After Musk/Twitter Deal

    “We have observed an uptick in people deactivating their accounts and also Twitter suspending accounts,” says Christopher Bouzy, Bot Sentinel’s founder.

    “We believe the uptick in deactivations is a result of people upset with Elon Musk purchasing Twitter and deciding to deactivate their accounts in protest,” added Bouzy, citing people’s comments about quitting the platform.

    It’s still too early to know how Musk’s Twitter acquisition will ultimately work out, but the company’s first order of business may be to convince users not to abandon ship.

  • Mastodon Experiences Massive Growth After Musk/Twitter Deal

    Mastodon Experiences Massive Growth After Musk/Twitter Deal

    Decentralized, open source social network Mastodon has been one of the biggest beneficiaries of Elon Musk’s Twitter acquisition.

    Mastodon is a social media network popular in open source circles. The network is open source itself, as well as decentralized. This puts it more inline with what Jack Dorsey believes Twitter should have become.

    It appears many users may agree with Dorsey, as Mastodon has seen a tremendous uptick in users since Musk took over Twitter, passing 655,000 users.

    Users interested in making the move can learn more here.

  • Twitter Blue Checkmark Available to All…for $8 a Month

    Twitter Blue Checkmark Available to All…for $8 a Month

    Elon Musk has made a decision on who can have a blue checkmark, ruling that anyone can for $8 per month.

    News broke over the weekend that Musk and Twitter executives were considering charging for verified status, signified by a blue checkmark. Until now, gaining verified status required a user to be well-known, such as a celebrity, politician, journalist, or similar. Musk is looking to democratize verification for a price.

    As Musk points out, an added benefit of the new system is half the ads, compared to what non-paying users currently see.

  • Elon Musk’s Twitter Acquisition Drives Up Dogecoin Price

    Elon Musk’s Twitter Acquisition Drives Up Dogecoin Price

    Elon Musk finalized his Twitter purchase last week, and Dogecoin investors have reason to rejoice.

    Musk has been a long-time fan of the dog-themed crypto. Despite its origins as a meme coin, Dogecoin has become a major crypto. Tesla began accepting Dogecoin in early 2022 and Musk’s other company, SpaceX, even accepted Dogecoin for a satellite mission to Mars.

    According to Reuters, Dogecoin is seeing a major boost following the Twitter deal, jumping as much as 70% on Saturday.

    Only time will tell if the crypto will keep its gains, but having one of its biggest proponents in charge of one of the world’s biggest social media platforms is sure to help.

  • Twitter May Charge People to Keep Their Blue Check Mark

    Twitter May Charge People to Keep Their Blue Check Mark

    Elon Musk is moving and shaking things up since his acquisition of Twitter, including a move that may prove controversial.

    According to Platformer, company executives are floating the idea of making users pay to keep their verified status, in the form of the little blue check mark. The outlet learned that verified status may be restricted to the $4.99 Twitter Blue service.

    It’s unclear if or when the company may make the change, but executives are reportedly “strongly considering” the option.

  • Jack Dorsey’s New Social Media Company Off to a Strong Start

    Jack Dorsey’s New Social Media Company Off to a Strong Start

    Amid Musk’s takeover of Twitter, its founder is attempting to launch a second act in the social media space.

    Jack Dorsey has been vocal in his belief that Twitter should never have become a company, wishing it had remained a protocol instead. This would have allowed the the service to be used by a variety of apps and platforms, without centralized control being in the hands of a single company.

    According to Business Insider, Dorsey’s Bluesky Social website says it aims to create “a new foundation for social networking which gives creators independence from platforms, developers the freedom to build, and users a choice in their experience.”

    It appears the new company is off to a strong start, with a recent tweet stating it had 30,000 signups in two days for its waiting list.

    With much of Twitter’s future up in the air, Bluesky Social may offer users a compelling alternative.

  • It’s Official: Elon Musk Now Owns Twitter

    It’s Official: Elon Musk Now Owns Twitter

    Elon Musk is Twitter’s new owner after the deal closed late Thursday.

    What may be one of the most tumultuous acquisitions in history has finally come to a close with Elon Musk completing his takeover of Twitter. Multiple outlets reported the deal closed late Thursday, a day before a court-imposed deadline.

    According to The Washington Post, Musk wasted no time purging the social media company of some of its top executives, including CEO Parag Agrawal, CFO Ned Segal, Legal, Policy and Trust Lead Vijaya Gadde, and Sean Edgett, Twitter’s General Counsel.

    Many questions remain about Twitter’s future and how Musk will guide it. After threatening layoffs of a much as 75% of the company’s staff, the mercurial CEO backtracked. Similarly, Musk has championed unfettered free speech before acknowledging he has no intention of letting Twitter “become a free-for-all hellscape, where anything can be said with no consequences.”

    Only time will tell what Twitter will become under Musk’s stewardship, but at least everyone can stop wondering if/when Twitter would join Musk’s list of companies.

  • Twitter Employees Can (Partly) Breathe a Sigh of Relief

    Twitter Employees Can (Partly) Breathe a Sigh of Relief

    Twitter employees can breathe a small sigh of relief on news that Elon Musk is backtracking on his plans to lay off 75% of the workforce.

    Musk is poised to become Twitter’s new owner sometime Friday. The mercurial CEO had previously stated his intention to lay off as much as 75% of the company’s employees once he became the new owner, prompting an open letter in which the employees called the plan “reckless.”

    It appears Musk has had a change of heart, according to Bloomberg. Musk reportedly told employees at a meeting at the company’s San Francisco office that he does not plan on laying off 75% of them.

    The CEO disputed the 75% figure, although it’s still believed that he plans to cut at least some of the staff.

  • Elon Musk Says He Will Close Twitter Deal by Friday

    Elon Musk Says He Will Close Twitter Deal by Friday

    The Elon Musk/Twitter saga may finally be coming to a close, with the CEO planning to close the deal by Friday.

    Elon Musk initially put in an offer to purchase Twitter before trying to back out of the deal, sparking a legal battle. Musk eventually agreed to proceed with the purchase, prompting the judge in the case to impose an October 28 deadline for the deal to close, otherwise the case will go to trial.

    According to Bloomberg, Musk has told bankers he plans to close the deal by the deadline on Friday, easing investors’ minds regarding the social media company’s future.

    Twitter employees, on the other hand, are likely less than thrilled with the news. Musk has indicated he plans to lay off as much as 75% of the company’s workforce, prompting an open letter from employees calling the plan “reckless.”

  • Microsoft May Increase Its OpenAI Investment

    Microsoft May Increase Its OpenAI Investment

    Microsoft is reportedly considering another round of investment in OpenAI, beyond its initial $1 billion.

    OpenAI is the artificial intelligence company co-founded by Elon Musk in an effort to drive responsible AI research and development. Microsoft initially invested $1 billion in the company in 2019 and has an exclusive license to OpenAI’s GPT-3 model.

    According to The Wall Street Journal, Microsoft “is in advanced talks for a new round of funding in OpenAI.” No concrete details were provided, including the size of the investment, although the Journal’s sources say the amount could vary as negotiations proceed.

    A cash infusion from Microsoft would help fund OpenAI’s continued research, and could provide Microsoft with more exclusive access to OpenAI innovations.

  • Elon Musk Announces Neuralink Show and Tell Delay

    Elon Musk Announces Neuralink Show and Tell Delay

    Elon Musk has announced a month-long delay to Neuralink’s next event.

    Neuralink is one of Elon Musk’s other companies, one that is working to develop interfaces that will enable the human brain to directly interact with machines. The company’s next event was scheduled for October 31, but has been delayed.

    Musk did not provide any additional details, but here’s to hoping the event doesn’t get delayed again.

  • Musk’s Twitter Deal May Be Subject to National Security Review

    Musk’s Twitter Deal May Be Subject to National Security Review

    The Elon Musk/Twitter drama has taken another turn on news the deal may be subject to a national security review.

    After months of speculation and legal fighting over whether Musk would go through with his offer to buy Twitter, the deal appears to finally be moving forward. The latest challenge may come from the US government itself over concerns about Musk’s foreign connections, according to Bloomberg.

    Elon Musk has made headlines in recent weeks over what appears to be an about-face on his stance on the war in Ukraine. Some of this statements have appeared to be pro-Russia. What’s more, as TheStreet points out, Musk has deep ties to China as a result of so much of Tesla’s production being centered there, and some of Musk’s Twitter investors are from China and Saudi Arabia.

    It’s still too early to know what the US government will or will not do, but if it chooses to investigate, it could create a major wrinkle for Twitter.

  • Elon Musk May Cut Twitter’s Workforce by 75% to 2,000

    Elon Musk May Cut Twitter’s Workforce by 75% to 2,000

    Twitter employees may be in for some bad news on a report that Musk may cut the company’s workforce by 75%.

    With Musk’s purchase of Twitter hurtling to completion, all eyes are on the tech CEO in an effort to gain insight into how he will run the social media company. According to The Washington Post, Musk has told investors he plans to cut Twitter’s workforce by 75%, leaving roughly 2,000 out of its current 7,500 employees.

    According to the Post, Twitter’s executives may have been highly motivated to sell the company because they were already planning cuts of their own. The executives were evidently planning on cutting at least $800 million in payroll by the end of next year. While that would have been just under a quarter of the company, it still represents a major downsizing.

    In retrospect, it’s increasingly looking like letting Musk be the bad guy may have been a major motivation for Twitter’s execs.

  • Elon Musk Promises New Tesla for Half the Price

    Elon Musk Promises New Tesla for Half the Price

    Elon Musk has made a bold prediction, announcing the company plans to release a new Tesla for half the price of existing models.

    According to InsideEVs, Musk made the announcement at the company’s Q3 2022 earnings call, saying the new vehicle would be a compact model and outsell all other Teslas combined.

    “The next-generation vehicle will be about half the cost of the 3/Y platform and it will be smaller,” Musk said. “It will, I think, certainly exceed the production of all other vehicles combined.”

    Musk did say there is no launch dates planned, but the new model is “the primary focus of the new vehicle development team.”

    If Tesla is able to deliver on Musk’s promise, it would be a major boost to the company and help it attract an all-new demographic.