Tag: Twitter

Twitter’s future uncertain as it faces messy breakup with Musk

  by Julie JAMMOT Agence France Presse Courted and then jilted by the world’s richest person, Twitter looks well positioned to win a court battle with Elon Musk over a $1 billion breakup fee and more — but the company will not emerge unscathed. The entire saga has left observers baffled by what Wedbush analyst Dan Ives described as “one of the craziest business stories ever.” “I think it starts off as a circus show […]

UPDATE: Musk accuses Twitter of withholding data, says may withdraw takeover bid

Elon Musk threatened Monday to withdraw his bid to buy Twitter, accusing it of failing to provide data on fake accounts, in the latest twist in the Tesla billionaire’s push to acquire the social network. Twitter has committed “a clear material breach” of its “obligations under the merger agreement and Mr. Musk reserves … his right not to consummate the transaction,” according to a document filed with securities regulators. The filing marks an escalation of Musk’s […]

Twitter shareholder lawsuit accuses Musk of ‘market manipulation’

San Francisco, UNITED STATES (AFP) — Elon Musk faces a lawsuit accusing him of pushing down Twitter’s stock price in order to either give himself an escape hatch from his $44 billion buyout bid, or room to negotiate a discount. The suit alleges the billionaire Tesla boss tweeted and made statements intended to create doubt about the deal, which has roiled the social media platform for weeks. Filed Wednesday by a shareholder, the claim seeks […]

Musk says Twitter purchase will not go ahead without clarity on spam accounts

New York, UNITED STATES (AFP) — Billionaire Elon Musk said Tuesday that his purchase of Twitter would not go ahead unless he was assured that fewer than five percent of accounts on the platform were fake. “Yesterday, Twitter’s CEO publicly refused to show proof of <5%,” tweeted Musk, who has almost 94 million followers on the social network. “This deal cannot move forward until he does.” The chief of SpaceX as well as Tesla, Musk […]

Elon Musk says he would lift Twitter ban on Trump

  by Glenn CHAPMAN Agence France Presse Elon Musk said on Tuesday that as owner of Twitter he would lift the ban on Donald Trump, contending that kicking the former US president off the platform “alienated a large part of the country.” Musk’s endorsement of a Trump return to the global messaging platform triggered fears among activists that Musk would “open the floodgates of hate.” “I would reverse the permanent ban,” the billionaire said at […]

Musk’s Twitter purchase puts moral champion in crosshairs

    by Glenn Chapman © Agence France-Presse SAN FRANCISCO, United States (AFP) — The fate of Twitter’s top attorney, deemed a moral champion of the platform, was in doubt Wednesday after Elon Musk tweeted displeasure with content moderation she had carried out. Musk, the world’s richest man, has vowed to be a free speech absolutist when he takes control of the global messaging platform as part of a $44 billion deal. The lawyer, Vijaya […]

Elon Musk: tech visionary turns social media king

  SAN FRANCISCO, United States (AFP) — Sometimes it feels like it’s Elon Musk’s world and we just live in it. The endlessly innovative, endlessly eccentric billionaire has struck a deal to buy Twitter — giving him control of the social media network on which the world debates, mobilizes and bickers. It is just the latest conquest for Musk, who has revolutionized the car industry, sent his own rocket to space, built the world’s biggest […]

Elon Musk reaches deal to buy Twitter for $44 bn

    NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, struck a deal Monday to buy Twitter for $44 billion, capping a saga complete with hostile takeover threats before delivering him personal control of one of the most influential social media platforms on the planet. Twitter famously served as a megaphone for former US president Donald Trump before the platform banned him, and Musk — a self-proclaimed “free-speech absolutist” — has […]

Elon Musk launches hostile takeover bid for Twitter

  by Julie Jammot with Glenn Chapman in San Francisco © Agence France-Presse SAN FRANCISCO, United States (AFP) — Tesla chief Elon Musk launched a hostile takeover effort for Twitter on Thursday, insisting the platform needs to be transformed but acknowledging his $43 billion bid may fail. The proposal faces uncertainty on multiple fronts, including possible rejection and the challenge of assembling the cash, but could have wide-reaching impacts on the social media service if […]

Elon Musk buys large stake in Twitter, sending stock soaring

by John Biers © Agence France-Presse NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — Twitter’s shares soared after Tesla CEO Elon Musk disclosed on Monday a large stake in the social media company, which he has criticized for its approach to speech rights. Musk, who has more than 80 million followers on the microblogging platform, became its largest shareholder following the purchase of 73.5 million shares or 9.2 percent of common stock, according to a securities filing. […]

Trump asks court to get him back on Twitter

  WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Donald Trump has filed suit asking a court to reinstate his account on Twitter and restore the online voice he lost for allegedly instigating the Capitol Hill riot. Twitter and other social media banned the former president from their platforms after a mob of pro-Trump supporters assaulted the US Congress building on January 6. They were riled up by a speech hours earlier in which Trump hammered away at […]

Twitter chief says Trump ban sets ‘dangerous’ precedent

  by Glenn CHAPMAN Agence France Presse SAN FRANCISCO, United States (AFP) — Twitter chief Jack Dorsey on Wednesday backed the messaging platform’s ban of US President Donald Trump, but said it sets a “dangerous” precedent and represents a failure to promote healthy conversation on social networks. “Having to ban an account has real and significant ramifications,” Dorsey said in a string of tweets about his take on the company’s decision late last week to […]