Elon Musk’s Twitter Takeover: From Skeptic to $44 Billion Owner

Elon Musk’s Twitter Journey: From Skeptic to Owner

A new book set to be released sheds light on Elon Musk’s unexpected journey from Twitter skeptic to platform owner. “Character Limit,” authored by New York Times reporters Ryan Mac and Kate Conger, reveals intriguing details about Musk’s initial impressions of the social media giant.

According to the book, Musk was far from enthusiastic when his first wife, Justine Musk, began using Twitter in its early days. Despite her frequent activity on the platform, Musk reportedly dismissed it as a waste of time.

Even after reclaiming the @ElonMusk account from an impersonator in 2010, Musk showed little interest in engaging with the platform. A December 2011 post highlighted his skepticism about Twitter’s 140-character limit, with Musk expressing a preference for Google Plus for longer-form content.

However, the tide began to turn towards the end of 2011. Musk gradually recognized Twitter’s potential as a tool for providing updates on his companies, Tesla and SpaceX, and as a means to control his narrative in the face of mainstream media coverage.

This shift marked a significant turning point in Musk’s relationship with Twitter. Over the following decade, both the platform and Musk’s presence on it grew substantially. The culmination of this evolution came in 2022 when Musk acquired Twitter in a high-profile $44 billion deal.

The transformation from Twitter skeptic to owner represents one of the more remarkable pivots in Musk’s career. “Character Limit” promises to offer readers an in-depth look at this journey and its far-reaching implications for both Musk and the social media landscape.

As Twitter continues to evolve under Musk’s ownership, this account of his early days on the platform provides valuable context for understanding the changes that have reshaped the original Twitter experience.