Back in April I wrote an article for YNOT about Elon Musk toying with the idea of buying Twitter. I confidently stated, “One thing I’m betting is Musk’s not going to branch off and start a new social media site or buy out the heavyweight.” Well, guess what? I have egg on my face because Musk IS going to buy Twitter. I mean, to pat myself on the back, I was partially right that he wasn’t going to start from scratch, but I have to suck it up that I was completely wrong about him buying the platform:
It. Is. Happening.
Of course, Musk has been dancing a tango with Twitter since then and hasn’t coughed up the cash, but for now it seems clear that he’s going to take over the giant. According to engadget, he’ll be on the hook for $44 billion dollars ponying up $54.20 a share. Originally, he had tried to wimp out on the deal complaining that Twitter had pulled the wool over his eyes by vastly underrepresenting how many bots vs. actual users were on the platform. He back pedaled soon after being threatened with a lawsuit. Apparently, the investment community doesn’t look lightly upon someone who agrees to buy a company in a letter of intent then acts like they never signed it.
So, unless he decides to go to court, Elon Musk is gonna own Twitter.
What does that mean for you?
In my original article I made the point that for all of Musk’s bluster about freedom of speech and how Twitter should allow for more independent thought, I doubt that once he owns it, he’s going to make much of a dent on that battle ground when it comes to the adult industry. Of course, I’ve been wrong before as evidenced by the fact that he’s buying the giant when I never thought he would.
So, let’s look at some of the scenarios that can happen under his rule. Why don’t we start with the best-case and be positive.
First off, Since Musk will be taking the company private, he won’t have to pay lip service to stockholders. This is a huge win because he doesn’t have to answer to a bunch of angry investors when the stock plummets if the company’s worth goes down.
That means he can make choices like giving the adult industry more love on the platform.
Second, since the buck stops with him and not with his investors, he decides how the site will be run and what is allowed. Taking that into account, it’s my hope that more of you will show up in search results (this is my hugest pet peeve, as every time I write an article and want to tag someone in the adult industry, it’s next to impossible to find them in the search and I have to get their exact handle if I’m not following them). Even more important, let’s hope he’ll put a stop to shadowbanning your accounts.
This isn’t just hypothesizing, Musk went on record stating to Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal, that “it would be great to unwind permanent bans, except for spam accounts and those that explicitly advocate violence.” If he follows through, it’s possible that any of you who have had your accounts banned will get them back.
That’s the best-case scenario. Then there’s the second-best case scenario – nothing changes – which just means it’s the devil you know. Finally, I suppose we should cover the worst-case scenario – that he talks one thing (freedom of speech) and does another (more regulations) – ending up making it even more difficult for sex workers do business on the site.
Who knows what the change will bring?
One scenario is certain however, Twitter is going to be bought by Musk. Hopefully it won’t be a bumpy ride once he takes over, but hey, fasten your seatbelts just in case.
Photo credit: iStock.com/hapabapa
—
Alyssa Collins hails from Minnesota, where snowy days were the perfect excuse to stay warm inside and write. Over the years, she turned that joy into a career and has authored numerous articles for various publications (under pen names). Email Alyssa via alyssa@ynot.com.
