Elon Musk, who took over the reins of Twitter in Oct. 2022, has received backlash from both employees and users due to a string of moves he's taken — and Mary Trump is no exception to the long list of critics.
What Happened: In recent weeks, there has been a huge outcry over the platform's removal of legacy blue checks that helped verify the identities of high-profile users and distinguish them from impostors.
To retain the blue checks, users now have to pay $8 a month, while businesses have to cough up $1,000 a month, plus $50 for each affiliate and employee.
Although not referencing the development, former President Donald Trump’s niece, Mary Trump, took potshots at Musk in a tweet on Sunday. “Nice to see Musk turning Twitter into his very own version of 'The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street,'” she wrote.
In calling out Musk, Mary Trump referenced an episode in the first season of the television series “Twilight Zone,” in which alien invaders cause a power outage, creating havoc in a small community and exposing humanity’s self-destructive behavior.
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In response to Mary Trump's tweet, one user wrote, “Well put! Perfect parallel.”
Why It’s Important: After taking over Twitter, Musk eliminated more than half of company's positions. The platform currently employs fewer than 2,000 people worldwide, down from about 7,500 before the takeover.
The billionaire also alienated advertisers by pushing forward a free-speech agenda that has allowed racism and misinformation on the platform to thrive. The move has since impacted Twitter’s bread-and-butter advertising revenue.
In a recent Twitter Spaces conversation with BBC, Musk said Twitter is currently operating at breakeven and could soon return to profitability. He also said several advertisers who had fled the platform previously have returned.
Photo: Steve Jurvetson via flickr
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