What Will Twitter Look Like under ‘Musk Style’ Management?

Used by more than 200 million people daily, what does the future hold for social media?

　

American entrepreneur Elon Musk has purchased the microblogging site Twitter, sparking worries that management of harmful posts will become more lax. One of the criticisms of social media has been that biased and violent posts have deepened the divisions in society today. As such, many companies have increased the number of employees to better regulate their sites. One example of this was the suspension of former President Donald Trump’s Twitter account after the attack on the U.S. Capitol in January of last year, an action with which Musk, a proponent of more laissez-faire administration, took issue.

　

After the purchase was finalized, Musk announced the formation of a content moderation committee, one of the first acts for his new vision for Twitter, along with massive personnel layoffs to cut costs. However, taking an ax to the site’s ability to moderate in this way will only hamstring efforts to curtail fake news and slander on the service.

　

Social media has reached a turning point. By strengthening the privacy protection of users, the method of using their information for advertising revenue will need to be reviewed. There will likely be regulations in Group of 7 countries regarding postings by government accounts as well. Website operators must be able to balance profits, convenience, societal risks and impartiality toward government.

With strong leadership, Musk was able to break new ground in electric vehicles and space exploration. However, he also has a history of ruffling the feathers of workers and investors with flippant statements, including this latest purchase, which was temporarily halted due to his actions. Having spent $44 billion, it’s understandable that he’d want to make some reforms. However, sacrificing users’ ability to interact in a regulated environment in favor of your own self-righteous “Musk-style” management could end up rattling the foundations of democratic society.

　

In addition to taking the company off the stock exchange, Musk has dissolved Twitter’s board of directors as part of his management reforms. Maintaining the quality of the site’s public infrastructure will require corporate governance that can rein in recklessness at the top. What’s needed now more than anything else is for Musk to unveil his vision and ideology for Twitter with care, not just in the span of 280 characters or less.