Elon Musk and Donald Trump's X Spaces Event Crashes

- Twitter Blue, a subscription service allowing users to buy verified badges, was launched under Elon Musk's ownership but faced immediate backlash. - Employees warned Musk about the dangers of the service, fearing it could lead to misinformation and harassment. - Despite initial enthusiasm, the service was shut down a day after its launch due to widespread criticism and confusion. - The chaotic rollout and subsequent issues have damaged Musk's reputation and Twitter's credibility. - The book 'Character Limit: How Elon Musk Destroyed Twitter' provides an in-depth look at the tumultuous period. Source: [NYT](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/24/technology/elon-musk-twitter-blue.html?unlocked_article_code=1.FU4.Xb6S._2Nfe5hZXYYX&smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare&sgrp=c-cb)

I can't understand the foolishness of those who believe this assassination attempt was staged. Firstly, Trump is already winning; what reason would he have to do that? Secondly, the shooter was not a professional assassin capable of such precision that the bullet merely grazed the ear without killing the target.

- Elon Musk's acquisition of Twitter, now rebranded as X, has shifted the platform's political stance, drawing criticism for promoting right-wing views. - Musk's controversial posts and actions, including support for Donald Trump and inflammatory comments on UK riots, have sparked backlash from politicians and the public. - Critics argue that Musk's control over X poses risks to democratic processes and international stability, while his supporters see him as a defender of free speech. - The EU and US are grappling with how to regulate Musk's influence, with the EU threatening sanctions and the US facing legal limitations. - Despite Musk's efforts, X's user base remains smaller than Meta's, and many liberals are migrating to alternative platforms like Threads. Source: [Financial Times](https://www.ft.com/content/b2910e6f-d390-40ad-a896-e8ba9f9f9249)

Quite confused why the rebranding is taking place. Twitter is such a good brand name, everybody gets it, and has positive blue colours too. X seems to be something very random. Almost instantly it does not reflect what the product would be. It’s great to see that Elon Musk takes audacious bets all the time, but it’s starting to feel like he’s someone who lacks any sense of how user’s think. This could be costly for Twitter as multiple of these changes compound.

Will this fly with the audience or will it change X (Twitter) into another hyper competitive platform just like LinkedIn?

- A record number of advertisers plan to cut spending on X next year due to concerns over extreme content. - Kantar's survey shows a net 26% of marketers will reduce ad spending on X in 2025, the largest pullback from any major platform. - Big brands have been leaving X since Musk's $44bn takeover in 2022, citing his free speech ethos and loosened content moderation. - Only 4% of marketers believe ads on X are brand safe, compared to 39% for Google. - Musk's adversarial relationship with advertisers continues, with legal threats against boycotting brands like Unilever and Mars. Source: [Financial Times](https://www.ft.com/content/cf023e18-a6c7-4d78-bcb5-f295b5bcb928)

https://twitter.com/happypunchpromo/status/1671963514108256259?s=46&t=-MLhfYHODUw4nj6fZ-hK3g