# Now that Elon Musk has bought Twitter - now the Pit edition (Part 1) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 25, 2022, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442 "2022-04-25T22:50:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 15
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2022, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/281 "2022-10-29T12:23:01Z")
Well, so far I haven’t noticed any changes, maybe because I don’t follow politics on Twitter. The vast majority of my feed is about pop music or air travel, my two obsessions. The critical factor for me is whether _they_, e.g. the artists I follow, leave. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2022, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/282 "2022-10-29T12:30:04Z")
> [@suranyi](#): > > The critical factor for me is whether _they_, e.g. the artists I follow, leave. I think that when their toxic fanbase is allowed to act without consequence, there will be a fairly quick exodus to platforms that do not allow such abuse. We’ll see, either Musk sticks to his guns and allows any legal content, regardless of the wants of users and advertisers, or he ends up basically just reinstituting the policies that twitter and other social media sites have found are necessary to have a profitable and productive site. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2022, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/283 "2022-10-29T12:56:18Z")
One Twitter user will kill another over a comment, it’ll be a huge media conflagration, the guy will be called the Twitter Killer, welcome to social media ownership, Elon, thanks for the 4x stock payout and $60,000,000 buyouts! Signed, Jack, Parag, Ned, and the ex-Twitter team. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2022, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/284 "2022-10-29T13:01:33Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > One Twitter user will kill another over a comment, it’ll be a huge media conflagration I’d be surprised if this _hasn’t_ happened. > [@JohnT](#): > > thanks for the 4x stock payout and $60,000,000 buyouts! I’m sure the fired execs with their eight figure severance packages are quite happy about getting paid extremely well for no longer dealing with the stress of trying to herd a hundred million cats. While I’m sure the mods here love their jobs (and we love you), they’d not be too upset about being forced to walk away with a $60,000,000 check. ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2022, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/285 "2022-10-29T13:43:56Z")
> [@k9bfriender](#): > > I think that when their toxic fanbase is allowed to act without consequence, there will be a fairly quick exodus to platforms that do not allow such abuse. Individual artists and actors leaving Twitter after floods of abuse happens regularly already, so I’m definitely not betting against that! ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2022, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/286 "2022-10-29T13:45:48Z")
Right, and that’s with at least some level of moderation control. Get rid of even that, and noone is going to want to promote themselves on that platform. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2022, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/287 "2022-10-29T14:31:40Z")
The bigger question is whether an existing platform is positioned to take advantage of the growing discontent, or if we’re going to see a new alternative network like Truth Social, except this one marketed as an intelligently moderated public forum. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2022, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/288 "2022-10-29T14:40:05Z")
If this place were run like a damn business like it should be, this would actually be exciting times for the Straight Dope! Instead, it will be another growth opportunity missed. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2022, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/289 "2022-10-29T15:38:35Z")
> [@Johnny\_Bravo](#): > > The bigger question is whether an existing platform is positioned to take advantage of the growing discontent I’d assume mostly Facebook and Reddit. ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2022, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/290 "2022-10-29T16:09:44Z")
> [@suranyi](#): > > That’s a total of about a hundred accounts I follow. It would take way too long to check each website daily to see if there’s news, when I just get it instantly and easily on Twitter. What happened to the good old RSS feed? > [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > If you think I’m critical of Elon, check out this good old boy: > > [https://img.youtube.com/vi/TzmfH4fQ90Y/hqdefault.jpg](https://img.youtube.com/vi/TzmfH4fQ90Y/hqdefault.jpg) > > Stranger Funny that Merriam Webster’s defines “elongate” as > 1 **:** stretched out > 2 **:** [slender](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/slender) And slender as: > […] 2 **:** limited or inadequate in amount or scope **:** [meager](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/meager) Nice things you can do when you ignore the context. I whish _ **elongate** _ a successful hashtag future! I might even watch the video in the link. Later. ETA: No idea what has happened with **Stranger\_On\_A\_Train** ’s link to YouTube. Up in post 137 or so it still works. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2022, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/291 "2022-10-29T18:34:10Z")
GM has suspended their advertising on Twitter. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2022, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/292 "2022-10-29T18:35:40Z")
> [@Johnny\_Bravo](#): > > The bigger question is whether an existing platform is positioned to take advantage of the growing discontent, or if we’re going to see a new alternative network like Truth Social, except this one marketed as an intelligently moderated public forum. Bluesky, led by Jack Dorsey, just went into beta. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2022, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/293 "2022-10-30T03:20:33Z")
So apparently, the second largest owner of Twitter is Saudi Arabia. > **[Saudis ‘second largest investors’ in Twitter after Musk takeover](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/10/28/saudis-kingdom-holding-company-to-maintain-twitter-stake)** > > KHC and the private office of Prince Alwaleed bin Talal are jointly the second largest investors after Elon Musk. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2022, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/294 "2022-10-30T03:30:28Z")
> [@Leaper](#): > > I did see Musk claim somewhere that there would be a “board of standards,” as it were, making decisions like high profile bannings, and that no major reinstatements would happen until that board convened. As I posted earlier in another thread that is basically a clone of this one (why do we have multiple threads about exactly the same damn subject?) Twitter already has a Trust and Safety Council that has been advising it on appropriate moderation policies, but Musk apparently didn’t know that. Or else he wants to set up his own version, which will have an entirely different outlook on things. > [@Will Twitter’s new ownership alter the political landscape?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-twitter-s-new-ownership-alter-the-political-landscape/963440/96): > > I don’t know if this has been mentioned before, but CNN reports that Musk intends to set up a “content moderation council” at Twitter – which means banned users like Trump may not be back in the immediate future. But here’s the funny part, and I quote the article: Twitter, however, already has a [Trust and Safety Council](https://about.twitter.com/en/our-priorities/healthy-conversations/trust-and-safety-council), which is comprised of a “group of independent expert organizations from around the world” to “advocate for safety and advise us as we develop our products, programs, and rule… > [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > So apparently, the second largest owner of Twitter is Saudi Arabia. Specifically, Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, who is a far-right reactionary with close ties to the Murdochs, and once owned substantial shares in News Corp. The other Saudi owner, KHC, is really just Alwaleed’s investment firm. So Twitter is now owned by a Trump-loving psychopath and a right-wing Saudi reactionary. Sounds like it has a really bright future! 🙄 ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2022, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/295 "2022-10-30T18:21:15Z")
Elon retweeted a fake news source that claimed that Paul Pelosi and the attacker were in a drunken gay tryst. This is the same site that claimed that Hillary is dead and replaced by a body double, that sunlight can cure covid, and that Bill Gates is giving people polio. Is it possible to get the site’s owner banned for posting fake news? BTW, the only “reporter” that claimed that the attacker was wearing only his underwear has retracted that claim, though that isn’t likely to lessen the right wing reposts. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2022, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/296 "2022-10-30T18:47:46Z")
I don’t know where it came from, but after the Florida/Georgia game in Jacksonville, somebody projected “Kanye was right about the Jews” on the outside of the stadium. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2022, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/297 "2022-10-30T18:59:53Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > Elon retweeted a fake news source that claimed that Paul Pelosi and the attacker were in a drunken gay tryst. So any fears that Twitter might devolve (further) into a right wing misinformation superspreader machine perpetuating the fall of intelligent discourse in America can be scratched from the “potential” category. ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2022, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/298 "2022-10-31T15:42:06Z")
Elon decided to delete it, for whatever reason, but it isn’t a great signal to sane users and advertisers. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2022, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/299 "2022-10-31T16:20:52Z")
If I may… and I am neither the OP nor a mod… I may suggest that posts regarding the political implications of this buyout be focused on this thread here: > [@Will Twitter’s new ownership alter the political landscape?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-twitter-s-new-ownership-alter-the-political-landscape/963440): > > Mentioned this on another thread, but thought it deserved its own. There’s been plenty of talk up to now about several topics related to Twitter: how Trump’s ban seems to have reduced his reach and influence, and how similar bans have seemingly affected his allies like Taylor-Greene and Lindell how the management seems to have been making efforts to reduce misinformation how its new owner seems to be a “free speech absolutist” Given all this (and I’m not sure how Musk feels about Trump perso… While this thread be dedicated to the business aspects and the impact on Twitter itself. Just a suggestion. Anyway, to this topic, the following is being reported: > Of all the things Elon could have done to kill his site, this is one of them. Twitter is a website which, somehow-someway-somewhen got people as diverse as Stephen King, Barack Obama, Taylor Swift, and more to generate… FOR FREE… tons of content, words, images, videos, words, and entertainment. AND NOW YOU’RE GOING TO CHARGE _ **STEPHEN F-IN’ KING** _ TO _ **WRITE** _ FOR YOUR WEBSITE? AND YOU THINK HE’S GOING TO PAY??? Jesus wept. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2022, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/300 "2022-10-31T16:24:43Z")
Another person noted that you can tell that “trending” is being manipulated because “Elon Musk” hasn’t trended AT ALL. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442.md?page=14) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442.md?page=16)