Elon Musk is asking Twitter users if he should step down as head of the social networking site | Science and technology news

[ad_1]

Elon Musk is polling Twitter users to ask if he should step down as head of the social media platform.

Musk, one of the world’s richest people, bought Twitter for $44 billion in late October, but his short tenure has been tumultuous.

The Tesla and SpaceX owner started his ballot just after 11pm UK time, writing: “Should I step down as head of Twitter?

I will stick to the results of this poll.”

About 20 minutes later, with the “yes” vote closing in, he added, “As the saying goes, be careful what you want, you might get it.”

After 1am UK time, 5.5 million users voted, and 57.9% said Musk should step down.

He responded to a number of comments from users, telling one, “The question isn’t finding a CEO, the question is finding a CEO who can keep Twitter alive.”

He added, “No one wants the job that can really keep Twitter alive. There is no heir.”

Another user volunteered for the post, and Mr. Musk replied: “You must love pain so much.

One point: you have to invest your life savings in Twitter and it’s been on a fast road to bankruptcy since May.

“Do you still want the job?”

Earlier on Sunday, it declared war on Twitter’s social media rivals by banning the promotion of their accounts from its platform.

This means users’ accounts can be suspended, locked or deleted if they post links to their profiles on other social media sites, including Meta-owned Facebook and Instagram, as well as Mastodon and Donald Trump’s Truth Social.

Last week he reinstated the Twitter accounts of several journalists that had been suspended for a day over his concerns over publishing public statements related to his plane.

The billionaire fired thousands of workers when he took over, sparking concern about catching abuse and misinformation on the site.

Last week the site dismissed its Trust and Safety Council, a group made up of charities and campaigners who have advised the site’s heads on moderation policies.

Three of the board members who quit the service complained that Musk was creating “two tiers” on Twitter, where paid subscribers get more benefits than free users.

They warned that it “robs the system of credibility and the beauty of Twitter, the platform where anyone can be heard”.

Read more: Analysis: Trying to implement Elon Musk’s grand Twitter strategy is pointless — he doesn’t have one Elon Musk warned he faced EU sanctions after expelling journalists from Twitter, and Donald Trump’s Twitter account returned after a poll vote to unblock him.

When he took over, Musk promised to improve Twitter, rid it of fake accounts, and improve freedom of expression.

But it has lost many of its key advertisers, with concern growing about its direction — and about its ability to pay interest on the $13 billion in debt Musk took on to buy it.

Reuters news agency revealed on Saturday that Musk’s team has asked investors for more funding, just days after it sold another $3.6 billion in Tesla shares — meaning it has sold nearly $40 billion in shares in its electric car company this year.

[ad_2]