Fox Business reported that Twitter intended to close the original deal Elon Musk offered back in April of $44 billion, at $54.20 per share. Twitter shareholders were elated as stock prices skyrocketed after the announcement was made. Unlike the shareholders, members of the media were not happy, some actually frightened of the prospect of the billionaire mogul having ownership of the big tech social platform.
Ben Collins, a reporter from NBC News tweeted a lengthy concern that this deal could affect the 2022 midterm elections. He wrote, “For those of you asking: Yes, I do think this site can and will change dramatically if Musk gets full control over it. No, there is no immediate replacement. If it gets done early enough, based on the people he’s aligned with, yes, it could actually affect midterms.”
For those of you asking: Yes, I do think this site can and will change pretty dramatically if Musk gets full control over it.
No, there is no immediate replacement.
If it gets done early enough, based on the people he's aligned with, yes, it could actually affect midterms.
— Ben Collins (@oneunderscore__) October 4, 2022
Collins continues on to say, “If Musk really is taking this site private, there are no real guardrails anymore. Rulemaking can be capricious. He can elevate any idea or person he wants through recommendations and UX choices and there will be no oversight on this as a private company.”
If Musk is really taking this site private, there are no real guardrails anymore. Rulemaking can be capricious.
He can elevate any idea or person he wants through recommendations and UX choices and there will be no oversight on this as a private company.
— Ben Collins (@oneunderscore__) October 4, 2022
Others also agreed on the imminent danger posed by Musk purchasing Twitter. Garrett M. Graff, former Politico Magazine editor wrote, “Be afraid, be actually afraid.”
If Musk is really taking this site private, there are no real guardrails anymore. Rulemaking can be capricious.
He can elevate any idea or person he wants through recommendations and UX choices and there will be no oversight on this as a private company.
— Ben Collins (@oneunderscore__) October 4, 2022
Dickens Olewe, a BBC journalist wrote, “Huge changes anticipated on this bird app after it goes private. Guardrails will be dropped, misinfo and conspiracy theories will thrive. No functional alternatives available, this is it: a complete destruction of the global public square. Been nice y’all.”
Huge changes anticipated on this bird app after it goes private. Guardrails will be dropped, misinfo & conspiracy theories will thrive. No functional alternatives available, this is it: a complete destruction of the global public square. Been nice y'all.
🧵 https://t.co/KFT3aTiPvI— Dickens Olewe (@DickensOlewe) October 4, 2022
Even MSNBC host Joy(less) Reid had to toss her two cents in with her opinion.
*IF* Musk gets control of Twitter
And Zuckerberg has control of Facebook
And CNN is under new Republican backed management
We have a massive problem
And do not listen to anyone who tells you differently.
— Don Winslow (@donwinslow) October 4, 2022
Where does she get off stating that we should not listen to anyone who disagrees with her? Is she the only one allowed to have an opinion? Clearly not, because others are tweeting that the very fabric of our democracy, freedom of religion, and freedom of speech is in dire straits.
Michael Edison Haydon, a senior investigative reporter from Southern Poverty Law Center tweeted, “If you think Elon Musk giving Trump, Project Veritas and Alex Jones a bigger social platform to manipulate will benefit the future of free speech, you’re totally delusional.”
If you think Elon Musk giving Trump, Project Veritas and Alex Jones a bigger social platform to manipulate will benefit the future of free speech, you’re totally delusional.
— Michael Edison Hayden (@MichaelEHayden) October 4, 2022
Given news Musk may end up buying Twitter after all: Back in April, major Jewish and Muslim groups both voiced concerns about him taking over — e.g., it "threatens to make Twitter an even more dangerous place for Muslims and other marginalized people." https://t.co/TpiFoK3Ch8
— Jack Jenkins (@jackmjenkins) October 4, 2022
Before 2020, Facebook deplatformed progressives, then it came for mainstream media and elevated only radicalized conservatives.
Cut to 2022, we know Elon Musk plans to do same with Twitter. We know how damaging it will be.
Tech giants pose ongoing threat to western democracy.
— Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) October 4, 2022
It’s strange how the left is willing to sacrifice freedom of speech when it comes to conservatives being banned from Twitter, or suppressed on Facebook. Democracy can hang as long as the rich pay for everyone else to live comfortably without getting their hands calloused with hard work. Freedom of religion is fine until you disagree with what they believe in, then you are fascist or racist. It’s so one-sided that it’s not even humorous anymore.
I, for one, am glad that Elon is buying Twitter if only to allow us to have our opinions seen and not deleted. There are two sides to every coin, the same with opinions. We can agree to disagree and move on in a peaceful manner. But society has been structured to emphasize “me, me, me” that there is no longer room for anyone else.
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