Elon Musk Buys Twitter to “Protect Free Speech”

Posted On 25 Apr 2022

Twitter is ready to agree to Elon Musk’s offer to buy the company, Reuters reported on Monday

Multiple outlets have reported that Musk is in talks with Twitter’s board of directors to finalize his buyout of the company. Musk and the board members met for negotiations on Sunday, with several outstanding issues remaining to be settled, people familiar with the matter told the Wall Street Journal.

A deal could be finalized as soon as Monday, according to Bloomberg and the New York Times.

Musk made an offer to buy Twitter earlier this month shortly after buying a roughly 9 percent stake in the social media company, becoming its largest shareholder. The SpaceX and Tesla CEO polled his 80 million followers in March on whether Twitter upheld principles of free speech.

Worth $259 billion, Musk is currently the richest man in the world.

“I invested in Twitter as I believe in its potential to be the platform for free speech around the globe, and I believe free speech is a societal imperative for a functioning democracy,” Musk wrote in an SEC filing. “Twitter has extraordinary potential. I will unlock it.”

It is unclear whether Musk’s buyout of Twitter will be completed. However, the Sunday report marked an apparent turnaround after previous indications that Twitter would decline Musk’s offer.

On April 14 Musk bid to buy Twitter at $54.20 a share, a 54 percent premium over the share price the day before he began investing in early January, or about $43 billion for the whole company, but did not outline how he would provide funding. However, Musk announced a week later that he partnered with Morgan Stanley to finance a buyout. Musk said he would provide $21 billion in equity in his name, with another $25 billion in debt.

Musk is not backing down from his offer of $54.20 per share, according to the Journal.

Musk called for a more transparent operation at Twitter during a talk with TED leader Chris Anderson earlier this month.

“Having tweets be mysteriously promoted and demoted, with no insight into what’s going on; having a black box algorithm promote some things and not other things; I think this can be quite dangerous,” Musk said.

“It won’t be perfect, but I think we want to really have…the perception and the reality that speech is as free as reasonably possible,” Musk added later in the talk. “And a good sign as to whether there is free speech is, is someone you don’t like allowed to say something you don’t like. And if that is the case, then we have free speech.”

Musk’s bid to take over Twitter comes after various controversies involving the company’s censorship policies.

Prior to the 2020 presidential election, Twitter blocked the New York Post‘s account for posting a story on emails by Hunter Biden allegedly obtained from his laptop. Twitter cited its “hacked materials policy” at the time, which prohibited posting of “content obtained through hacking that contains private information, may put people in physical harm or danger, or contains trade secrets.” Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey later admitted that the move was a “mistake.“

I hope that even my worst critics remain on Twitter, because that is what free speech means

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 25, 2022

Original Article: https://www.nationalreview.com/news/twitter-set-to-agree-to-elon-musk-buyout-report/

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15 Comments

Ralph Perangelo April 25, 2022 at 6:22 pm Reply

Elon Musk is a better American than all the members0f the Democratic Congress
nan April 25, 2022 at 6:26 pm Reply

Mr. Musk …I HAVE TO SAY IF THIS WHAT YOU HAVE IN MIND I DO COMMEND YOU AS I HAVE DONE EXTENSIVE RESEARCH AND THAT IS “NOT” WHAT I HAVE COME UP WITH…AND RIGHT NOW AFTER THIS CONVERSATION THEY WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS DOWN AS THEY WANT FULL…FULL..CONTROL OVER THE INTERNET AND WHAT YOU CAN SAY AS IT IS NOT CONTROLLED BY THE CONSTITUTION IT IS “ONLY” BY THE GOVERNMENT….
Human April 25, 2022 at 6:45 pm Reply

A wonderful concept but impractical as our federal government is trying to quell free speech at every turn. Unfortunately the investment will only lead to more governmental control over social platforms. Invariably the push towards freedom of speech will be regarded as an attack on government and will inevitably be controlled via legislation and accountability laws on ownership. One single individual does something heinous and it will all come tumbling down. I commend Elon Musk on his efforts but until we rid ourselves of the corruption that clearly controls our government nothing good can come from this.
Bruno Kefler April 25, 2022 at 6:55 pm Reply

If Elon Musk successfully pulls this off, I will be one of his biggest fans and will gladly become a Twitter follower and user. Until that time, I will continue to hold disdain for the company.
Charles S. Saunders April 25, 2022 at 6:55 pm Reply

Great!!!
Cozycalico April 25, 2022 at 6:59 pm Reply

Good! I hope I can get back on Twitter now. I am 83 and was put off Twitter and didn’t know free speech was not allowed.
Woodie thimpson April 25, 2022 at 7:13 pm Reply

I wouldn’t beta nickel against anything this man decides to tackle ! He’s shown himself to bew
A man of his word ! Highest cimolement I know !
Rhys April 25, 2022 at 7:13 pm Reply

Great news! Listen to all the liberals who are against free speech squeal and cry.
raymond l rash April 25, 2022 at 7:17 pm Reply

YES we need freedom of speach and the right to life liberty and pursuit of happyness regardless of what others think ,because this also includes those that push there bs on others
Robert Goodrick April 25, 2022 at 7:18 pm Reply

Good for you, Elon Musk. Godspeed!
Emke Nygvos April 25, 2022 at 7:35 pm Reply

Elon for President and Kanye for Veep
Pat April 25, 2022 at 8:09 pm Reply

THANK YOU******YOU HAVE A BIG HEART FOR AMERICA ❤️*******GOD BLESS AMERICA 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
TRM April 26, 2022 at 4:12 pm Reply

He bought it because he expects to make money on it.
Sherry April 28, 2022 at 6:29 pm Reply

I applaud Elon Musk for having the courage to stand up against the evil that is plaguing America. So what if he makes money. At lest is is working not like so many who think the GOVERNMENT is going to take care of them. May Elon be blessed.
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