After months of drama and legal spats, Elon Musk is now the owner of Twitter following a blockbuster $44 billion deal. The billionaire has already set off with a flurry of far-reaching actions, notably sending top execs packing as he swiftly moves to assert his authority.
And in a letter to advertisers, the billionaire said he was not buying the social media platform for money but because he loves civilisation and humanity’s common good. In an open letter, Musk dismissed the assortment of claims surrounding his motivation to buy the platform.
“It is important to the future of civilization to have a common digital town square, where a wide range of beliefs can be debated in a healthy manner, without resorting to violence,” Musk said in the letter.
“There is currently great danger that social media will splinter into far right wing and far left wing echo chambers that generate more hate and divide our society
Musk, a self-confessed “free speech absolutist,” promised to turn the social media platform a vibrant space for all forms of opinions.
The Tesla founder has also said under his ownership, Twitter will not descend into a “free-for-all hellscape” and warned that those who go against the laid down terms will face consequences. All users, he stated, must follow the “laws of the land.”
“I didn’t do it because it would be easy. I didn’t do it to make more money. I did it to try to help humanity, whom I love,” he wrote.
“And I do so with humility, recognizing that failure in pursuing this goal, despite our best efforts, is a very real possibility.
“Let us build something extraordinary together,” he said.
Musk promised to create a better user experience by sourcing and serving ads customized to meet each individual user’s unique needs.
I also very much believe that advertising, when done right, can delight, entertain and inform you,” he said.
“For this to be true, it is essential to show Twitter users advertising that is as relevant as possible to their needs.”