Tesla CEO Elon Musk is now in charge of Twitter, CNBC reported late Thursday.
CNBC's David Faber in a tweet reported former CEO Parag Agrawal and CFO Ned Segal left the company's headquarters in San Francisco and will not be returning.
Earlier this week, Musk took to the social media platform with a message to advertisers. He said the reason he acquired Twitter was to have a digital place where “a wide range of beliefs can be debated in a healthy manner, without resorting to violence.”
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He added that “Twitter obviously cannot become a free-for-all hellscape, where anything can be said with no consequences!”
So, what happens next?
“Honestly Twitter has not made money in 10 years, so it needs to make money and that’s something he knows how to do. So, maybe he’ll actually make it work better 15 but I’m not sure it’s going to actually feel better I mean we might see more freedoms, but I doubt we’re going to see more civility,” said SJSU Social Media Professor Matt Cabot.
Cabot said earlier reports of Musk planning to cut 75% of the Twitter workforce could prove challenging for the free speech absolutist.
“Because part of the reason is that if you have few restrictions or regulations it may appear to make speech freer but if he allows instructed harassment and personal attacks it’s actually going to thwart free speech,” he said.
Which are what others wondered as well.
“I think it should be like at least a diverse panel to have checked and balances because if we have too much centralization then is it really free speech?” said San Francisco resident Jeremy Camillo.
“I’m a little worried that he will be completely unhinged and allow people to spread hate and disinformation even worse than the internet already does,” said San Francisco resident Matt Hays.
It’s a thought that doesn’t necessarily breed confidence for those working at Twitter.
Many employees choose not to speak to NBC Bay Area Thursday night as they walked out of work today.
“I’m sure a lot of them are concerned about his unpredictable style and his abrupt proclamations whoever is going to stay on at Twitter it’s going to be a wild ride,” Cabot said.
In a now deleted tweet, Musk posted a meme with him, former president Donald Trump and Ye – formerly known as Kanye West, calling them “the three musketeers.”
It leaves many people wondering will people like Donald Trump be allowed back on the platform.
As of Thursday night, Trump has not returned on Twitter.
NBC Bay Area's Scott Budman and Gia Vang contributed to the report.
