Internet Dunks On Twitter For Naming Elon Musk To Its Board

April 5, 2022 12:19 p.m.

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News of Tesla CEO Elon Musk acquiring a 9.2 percent stake in Twitter has fired up the social media platform’s users in a special way today.

And the takes are, indeed, hot as right-wingers and Musk-devotees see the development as a sign their free speech savior has come to rescue the platform and seek vengeance for Donald Trump’s booting.

Musk’s appointment to Twitter’s board of director was confirmed by CEO Parag Agrawal in tweets posted Tuesday morning. Agrawal praised Musk as “both a passionate believer and intense critic of the service” who would “bring great value to our Board.”

He’s both a passionate believer and intense critic of the service which is exactly what we need on @Twitter, and in the boardroom, to make us stronger in the long-term. Welcome Elon!
— Parag Agrawal (@paraga) April 5, 2022

News of Musk’s appointment first broke in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission released Monday. According to the filing, Musk purchased his stake on March 14. Musk’s new stake in Twitter makes him the platform’s largest shareholder.

Shortly after joining Twitter’s board, Musk vowed “significant” changes on the platform.

As one of Twitter’s highest profile users, Musk has publicly voiced his complaints about free speech on the platform — which has landed him in a yearslong feud with the SEC. In 2018, the SEC sued Musk for tweeting that he had “funding secured” to take Tesla private.

But Musk seems unfazed, remaining a chronic tweeter in the years since the legal challenge. Prior to news of his stake in Twitter, Musk leaned into his gripes about the platform’s adherence to free speech in a poll posted late last month.

The consequences of this poll will be important. Please vote carefully.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 25, 2022

Here’s how Twitter users ignited a firestorm over Musk’s appointment:

The Earnest Critiques

I’m trying to imagine any other context where a publicly traded company had seen a customer use their product to break federal law, and to try to destroy the lives of innocent people, and then added that person to their board.
— anildash (@anildash) April 5, 2022

Elon blocked me for suggesting that maybe he’s not a mechanical ventilation expert. https://t.co/KbJPm2KeWx
— Esther C, MD (@choo_ek) April 5, 2022

This new board member used the site to illegally discourage his employees from exercising their democratic right to form a union, among other union busting tactics and discrimination lawsuits.

Good time to reaffirm workplace rights for Twitter employees.https://t.co/gPw0tLtqad pic.twitter.com/XFwp6JvRi4
— Aaron Huertas (@aaronhuertas) April 5, 2022

If Elon's vision for Twitter is anything like his Tesla factories, then racists will get verified and people of color will be told to be "cool" about it https://t.co/pn4MlonXph
— Dr. Jorge A. Caballero stands with ?? (@DataDrivenMD) April 5, 2022

Right-Wing Praise

Now that @ElonMusk is Twitter’s largest shareholder, it’s time to lift the political censorship.

Oh… and BRING BACK TRUMP!
— Lauren Boebert (@laurenboebert) April 4, 2022

.@ElonMusk is now the largest shareholder of Twitter.

Time to get this platform back to its former glory.

Step one – bring back President Trump!

Step two – give everyone who has been banned a second chance.

Step three – end all forms of political and other censorship.
— Errol Webber (@ErrolWebber) April 4, 2022

Every Twitter employee’s job is now to help Elon Musk make more money
— Jack Posobiec ?? (@JackPosobiec) April 5, 2022

Everyone at Twitter now works for and for the benefit of Elon Musk

All of the woke employees are now Elon Musk's underlings and work toward his whims

Enjoy
— Tim Pool (@Timcast) April 5, 2022

BRING TRUMP BACK TO TWITTER!!!! pic.twitter.com/hZqEq8wMpe
— Angelo Ray Gomez (@AngeloRayGomez) April 5, 2022

The Memes Roll In

Fun that every Republican celebrating Elon Musk's potential to bring Trump back to Twitter is basically saying that Trump's Truth Social is absolute undeniable utter dog shit.
— Mr. Newberger (@jeremynewberger) April 5, 2022

Twitter’s next board meeting pic.twitter.com/bOiaRhqNCw
— Trung Phan (@TrungTPhan) April 4, 2022

Elon at the next Twitter board meeting pic.twitter.com/VOEgkNyTkX
— O (@AnObliviousGeek) April 4, 2022

If Elon Musk stopped drinking Starbucks after college and saved the money, he would be able to buy 10% of Twitter instead of just 9.2%.
— Mengxi Lu (@mengxilu) April 4, 2022

Elon at his first Twitter board meeting pic.twitter.com/fFzGc5zgKI
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) April 4, 2022

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Summer Concepcion is a newswriter for TPM based in New York. She previously covered the 2016 election for Fusion, conducted investigative research for The Nation Institute, and has written for NBC Chicago and the Chicago Reader.

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Notable Replies

majesticunicorn says:

April 5, 2022

Hard to argue this one. Terrible move by twitter.
mrbadcrumble says:

April 5, 2022

I’ve got a bad feeling about this.
christianhankel says:

April 5, 2022

Generally hated Twitter before this move. Now I specifically hate Twitter.
heirball says:

April 5, 2022

Tucker spent the first 15 minutes of his show last night saying how great it was. Which creates more questions than answers. For example, how did I stand watching Tucker for 15 minutes?
psyclone says:

April 5, 2022

“Free speech” for Twitter? How about we be allowed to “say gay” in Florida first?

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