In an unusual move for what’s been an unusual takeover bid for Twitter by the world’s richest man,
"Trust is as trust does. I tend to be extremely literal in what I say...One does not (need) to read between the lines. One can simply read the lines,” Musk said in the meeting, according to a tweet from
Weinstein did not immediately respond to a message for further comment and she subsequently deleted all her tweets about the meeting. Twitter declined to comment.
Musk, according to multiplenews reports, also addressed possible layoffs at the company, saying that, right now, “costs exceed revenue. That’s not a great situation.”
He also touched on growth, saying he'd like to see Twitter reach a billion users — roughly four times its current user base ) and anonymity, where he earlier created a stir when he said he wants to “verify all humans” on the service. At the meeting, he clarified that this does not mean he wants to have everyone on Twitter use their real names, like on Facebook, since pseudonyms can allow people to express their political views freely, according to The New York Times.
Twitter CEO
The meeting is a “clear step in the right direction towards the chances of a deal happening and a smart strategic move as Twitter employees have been left in the dark over the past few months and have many questions during this volatile period of uncertainty,” said Wedbush analyst
One of Musk's key points at the meeting, which started a little after
Musk, according to multiple reports, also praised Chinese apps such as
“Transforming Twitter into a WeChat-like super app would be a massive undertaking for Musk,” said
While Musk, through
Musk reached a deal to acquire Twitter in April, but he has clashed with the company repeatedly since then over the number of bots, or fake accounts, that exist on the social media platform. Musk said he was putting the deal on hold on
Twitter employees could have other reasons to be nervous about Musk’s impending takeover. The irascible billionaire has levied a barrage of criticism at the company, from its moderation and safety policies, which he terms a threat to “free speech,” to its anonymous user accounts, which he would like to eliminate, to its ban of former President
“If there are 2 sides to an issue it’s important to represent multiple opinions. Most issues in the world are complex,” Weinstein quoted Musk as saying.
“In my experience it is very unusual and almost bizarre for someone who has not purchased the company to speak to current employees of the company he is looking to purchase,” Kraemer said.
Musk has also targeted Twitter’s work-from home policy, having once called for the company’s headquarters to be turned into a “homeless shelter” because, he said, so few employees actually worked there. The comment also served as a thinly veiled jab at
It’s not clear if this week’s meeting means that the two sides have come closer together on resolving their issues. Shares of Twitter have been trading well below the
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