Will Elon Musk become too powerful with the Twitter takeover?

Ever since Elon Musk took over Twitter, he has been trying to quickly rebuild the short message service. First he dismissed some top managers, then he dissolved the board of directors. According to media reports, mass layoffs are also planned for Friday.

The billionaire has also initiated strategic changes. For example, users who want to verify their account with a blue tick now have to pay eight dollars a month. In return, they should also see less advertising and be able to use additional functions such as longer video messages. A newly created supervisory body should also decide which content is permitted on the platform and which is not.

In the letters from the Handelsblatt readers, some express skepticism about the Twitter deal. As one reader writes: “Elon Musk’s private ideas about plurality, social and liberal democracy are – with all due respect – a bit crude and extreme.” That is why a control mechanism is needed, otherwise Musk would accumulate “too much power and influence”.

Another reader fears: “Twitter will again become a portal on which masses of political opinions and fake accounts cavort.” However, another reader finds that a free society has to endure this “so as not to come close to censorship to become”. “You can only, and please do so consistently, take criminal action against violations of the law and counter them with elaborate information posts – a difficult balancing act.” There are also voices who believe that Musk will lose a lot of money with Twitter, it will even be the “fastest money destruction of history” could become.

We have put together a selection for you from the letters from the Handelsblatt readers.

Too much power and influence

“Twitter (but not only) is too widespread and influential a medium to be left unchecked by the plural, democratically constituted society.

Elon Musk’s private ideas about plurality, social and liberal democracy are – with all due respect – somewhat crude and extreme. In addition, there is too much power and influence in his person.

The best think tanks and media psychologists should be used to find solutions for democratic oversight before legislation is enacted.”
Klaus Hüttemann

No threat to democracy

“Basically no, the takeover will not pose a threat to democracy, but will fundamentally change the structure of the long-established company. Twitter is once again becoming a portal on which masses of political opinions and fake accounts cavort.

The censorship of some content will be a difficult task in the early stages of the takeover through an influx of new and old users and the promised elimination of the character limit, which the state should support here. In addition, one would have to take a critical look at Musk’s self-portrayal on his newfound side.”
Florian Wonneberger

>> Also read: The US government has made Elon Musk great – now he is becoming too powerful for her

Wait and watch

“As the Club of Rome recently published, in the future there will be a collective problem in distinguishing between fact and fiction. In this context, the acquisition of Twitter by Mr. Musk is an exciting development because he will be able to decide on the published content in the future.

The unrestricted publication of serious facts is essential for the democratic community and must under no circumstances be restricted by algorithms, for example. For this reason, we have to monitor the coming development to see what the trend is.”
Daniel Boeckenhaupt

The fastest money wasting in history

“Mr Musk has set a number of records. With the purchase of Twitter, he will add another: the fastest money-breaking history.

Or:
Is Elon still of this world?
He thinks he’s awesome.
set some records
also some stair jokes.

And with the purchase of Twitter is
the next one done now.
The fastest money annihilation ever
Who would have thought that?”
Oliver Dange

If Musk wrecks Twitter, it’s no loss

“For me, Twitter is also one of the companies of the Internet age that contributes nothing, absolutely nothing, to the added value of the states or to the social benefit of the same. There’s always a ‘pig being driven through the village’, and anyone who thinks they have to say something about it then writes it down – immediately and without thinking.

Unfortunately, a lot of it is in the headlines – just as unreflected. If Musk wrecks Twitter, it really isn’t a loss.”
Matthew Moser

Just don’t use Twitter

“You just don’t have to use Twitter, then there’s no fear of too much power with Elon Musk.”
Claus Albert

power and ignorance

“Twitter and Co. are always as influential as their ‘followers’ follow, not to say as powerful as the users are ignorant or spread and believe everything.

Power and ignorance are to some extent complementary. A free society has to endure this in order not to be brought close to censorship. You can only, and please do so consistently, take action against violations of the law of a criminal nature and counter them with elaborate information posts – a difficult balancing act.”
Carsten Kayatz

Advertisers will run away

“Elon Musk will lose money to Twitter as advertisers flee him in droves. The US government will not stand by while he tweets the extreme ‘abyss’ to 112 million followers.

And while she’s at it, even the richest man in the world will have to realize that not everyone can afford to do business with the American government.”
Andre Holtkamp

If you would like to have your say on this topic in the Handelsblatt, write us a comment, either by e-mail [email protected] or on Instagram at @handelsblatt.

More: Last week, the Handelsblatt readership debated the Hamburg port deal with Cosco.