Elon Musk Fires Top Execs After Acquiring Twitter; Wants 'Super App' To ‘Help Humanity’

Elon Musk seems to have completed the formalities required to acquire Twitter. The new "Chief Twit" started his first day at the helm by firing the top executives of the micro-blogging network. Musk has indicated he bought Twitter to "help humanity", but also wants the social media platform to become a "Super App" generating lofty profits. Let's see what Musk wants from his latest acquisition.

Why Did Elon Musk Fire Twitter's Top Executives?

Elon Musk walked into Twitter's San Francisco headquarters carrying a bathroom sink yesterday and later tweeted, "Let that sink in". It is now clear that the theatrical entry wasn't just for the internet, but also for the top executives of Twitter.

Within just 24 hours of taking over Twitter, Elon Musk seems to have let go of Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal, the company's legal head Vijaya Gadde, and Chief Financial Officer Ned Segal. Musk even posted a tweet indicating the social media platform has been freed, presumably from the top management:

Musk had several informal conversations with Twitter's employees, and has indicated that he won't be firing 75% of the employees. He did, however, caution that there would be some abrupt terminations.

Musk had previously complained about not being made aware of bots and other troubles Twitter was facing with users. While this may have been the primary reason Musk fired the top management, it is likely that he wants to execute a radical redesign of Twitter.

The new Twitter chief sent out a message to advertisers, claiming he has bought Twitter because it is a melting pot of civilization:

"The reason I acquired Twitter is that it is important to the future of civilization to have a common digital town square, where a wide range of beliefs can be debated in a healthy manner, without resorting to violence That is why I bought Twitter. I didn't do it because it would be easy. I didn't do it to make more money. I did it to try to help humanity, whom I love. And I do so with humility, recognizing that failure in pursuing this goal, despite our best efforts, is a very real possibility."

What Could Be Musk's Immediate Plans For Twitter?

Elon Musk has often indicated that he has several ambitious plans for Twitter if he takes over the platform. He intends to transform Twitter into a "Super App" which offers everything from money transfer, shopping, and even ride-sharing or taxi-hailing services.

The Tesla CEO has previously called out social media platforms for allegedly suppressing free speech. Musk believes platforms like Twitter engage in excessive censorship, and the internet should ensure everyone must have a right to express their opinions.

Strangely, in an open letter to advertisers on Thursday, Musk assured advertisers that his open criticism of Twitter's content moderation policies would not harm the platform's appeal:

"Twitter obviously cannot become a free-for-all hellscape, where anything can be said with no consequences! In addition to adhering to the laws of the land, our platform must be warm and welcoming to all. Twitter aspires to be the most respected advertising platform in the world that strengthens your brand and grows your enterprise. To everyone who has partnered with us, I thank you. Let us build something extraordinary together."

The statement implies Musk might not make any drastic changes in an attempt to promote free speech on Twitter. He might, however, reinstate the Twitter accounts of some individuals who were banned from the platform.

Besides remedying some ideological issues at Twitter, Musk has indicated he wants to boost Twitter's revenues but hasn't offered any details. Twitter's appeal is waning among its core audience. Musk's immediate concern should be revitalizing Twitter and gaining more "heavy tweeters".