Another weird week for Twitter - Will Elon Musk remain as CEO?
posted Monday Dec 19, 2022 by Scott Ertz
It's been a weird week for Twitter. Just days after Elon Musk appointed himself as the company's new CEO (following his purchase of the company, Twitter has made some pretty controversial decisions - and it doesn't look like things are going to calm down anytime soon. This week, Twitter announced that it would be banning all external social media links from its platform. This decision was quickly met with backlash, with many people arguing that it would make it harder for users to share content on Twitter. In a tweet posted earlier this week, Musk asked if he should step down as CEO. The results of the poll were overwhelmingly in favor of Musk stepping down. So, what's really going on at Twitter?
Banning external social links, reversed
This week, Elon Musk announced that links to other social media sites could lead to suspensions and bans on Twitter. This quickly caused uproar across the internet and on Twitter, with users accusing Musk of trying to prevent people from letting their followers know where they were going after leaving the platform. This has been pretty common, with users linking to their new profiles on Mastodon, Hive, or otherwise.
As has become the norm with Elon Musk's Twitter, the decision was quickly overturned. In an official statement, Twitter announced that the ban would be lifted and that users should not fear any repercussions for linking to other social media sites. This was seen as a victory by many who had been worried about what the ban could mean for their ability to share content on Twitter. The company also said that it was committed to creating an open platform where anyone could share their thoughts.
Stepping down or staying?
The controversy didn't stop there, however. Shortly after the external link decision was reversed, Musk took to Twitter again asking if he should step down as CEO due to all of the controversies surrounding the company in recent weeks. The poll results were incredibly one-sided - with up to 76% of respondents saying that Musk should step down from his position as CEO (the number as of writing is 57.5% saying yes).
It's unclear what will happen next with Elon Musk at the helm of Twitter. Some people have accused him of trying to take control and make decisions that are not in the best interest of the company. Others argue that he is making bold changes and is open to criticism - something that is essential for any company looking to succeed.
We may never know what Elon Musk's leadership has been about, but one thing is certain: it's been a weird week, and there doesn't seem to be an end in sight anytime soon. The only question now is whether or not Musk will stay on as CEO - or if he'll step down due to the controversy surrounding his decisions so far.
It is likely that this poll, like many others he has conducted, had the end result that Musk already expected. If that is the case, he could once again be using a public poll to explain a decision that was already made, and a plan was in place to implement ahead of time. In fact, Musk has already said that he would not remain on top of the daily operations of the company, and this poll could be an indication that he has chosen his replacement.
Whatever happens next, many hope that calmer waters while maintaining transparency will be the ultimate goal of the platform.