SAN FRANCISCO (California, US), Dec 20: Billionaire owner of social media platform
Twitter Elon Musk has been voted out by twitteratis as head of the outfit in
an online poll conducted by him. Fifty seven per cent of those who participated
in the poll on Sunday voted against Musk as Twitter CEO continuing at the helm
of the social networking company.
After taking over the social media he had said his position as CEO would be
temporary, especially it became real as he was caught in a web of controversies.
He had told a court last month he will "find somebody else to run Twitter over
time.” But till Sunday he had found "no successor.”
In fact since January Tesla's value has been falling and Musk tried to wriggle
out of his $44 billion deal with Jack Dorsey but couldn't. He has lost more
than $500 billion in market value this year and is using Tesla to cushion Twitter
debts. Smelling the down slide he could probably have been indulging in publicity
stunts, kicking up controversies on the way to keep his stocks high in media
headlines, it is suspected. Anxious Tesla investors are protesting.
Calling the polls, the tech tycoon, who lost his position as the world's richest
man, asked his millions of followers whether he should stand down, "Should I
step down as head of Twitter? I will abide by the results of this poll." And
the result of Sunday's polls came as: Yes: 57.5%; No: 42.5% - 17.5 millions
voted. He claims to believe in the Latin dictum, "Vox Populi, Vox Dei" (The
voice of the people is the voice of God). Midway through the polls, he also
tweeted: "As the saying goes, be careful what you wish, as you might get it".
On other previous occasions like Tesla share sale or restoring Trump's suspended
Twitter account, he had gone by the verdict of the respondents.
Anyway, he will be the Twitter's owner.
After the results came in, Musk said in future only Twitter Blue subscribers
will be allowed to vote on policy-related matters.That could probably was aimed
at drawing more Blue members. Twitter Blue is a paid subscription that buys
a blue tick verified badge.
At the time the world's richest man, Musk acquired Twitter on October 27 last
from Jack Dorsey in a $44 billion deal and became its CEO. He had tweeted "the
bird is freed" and "let the good times roll".
But soon he landed in controversies vis-a-vis his new policies. Musk declared
an open approach to free speech on Twitter and released the locked account of
former US President Donald Trump. Almost half the employees have left or been
sacked. So also the top executives.
Musk has lost 60% of the value of Tesla, his main business, since last January
and lost his position as the world's richest man to Bernard Arnold, CEO of LVMH.
Twitter is an American social media company based in San Francisco, California,
operating the social networking service. Musk also runs Tesla and Space X.