Elon Musk's Twitter takeover has caused a rapid decline in the platform's relevance and functionality, bringing it closer to irrelevance, Insider reports. Linette Lopez is a senior correspondent at Insider published the report "Welcome to 'Zombie Twitter'" on July 12, dicsussing Twitter's demise.
Despite Musk's promise to create a bot-free, free-speech haven, Twitter has become more glitchy, spam-filled, and problematic. The introduction of new features has only worsened the user experience. Twitter's core strength, its ability to provide real-time information during significant events, is fading due to Musk's mismanagement. Competitors like Meta's Threads are emerging as viable alternatives. Musk's ambitions to transform Twitter into an "everything app" may instead result in a platform resembling former President Donald Trump's Truth Social—a platform centred around one individual and their devoted followers.
Elon Musk's leadership of Twitter has been marred by a lack of turnaround expertise and poor decision-making. His firing of a significant portion of Twitter's staff, disregard for user feedback, and mishandling of relationships with organisations like the Metropolitan Transportation Authority have contributed to the platform's decline. Musk's reputation for late payments and refusal to pay rent has further strained relationships with suppliers, landlords, and financial institutions.
The decision to limit user access and the company's financial struggles, including mounting debt and declining valuation, have raised concerns about Twitter's future. The company's true value appears to be far below the price Musk paid, and banks are hesitant to sell its debt at a significant loss. Twitter's prospects are uncertain, leaving little room for innovation and investment.
Linette Lopez also emphasises that the decline of Twitter under Elon Musk's leadership is evident as users become disenchanted with the platform and seek alternatives. Musk's efforts to prioritise his own prominence on the site and his failure to address the bot problem have contributed to user fatigue and a decline in engagement. Competitors like Mastodon, Post, and Bluesky have gradually eroded Twitter's user base, while Meta's Threads presents a significant threat by seamlessly integrating with Instagram. The Federal Trade Commission's scrutiny of Meta's practices adds another layer of complexity to the situation.
Within Twitter, concerns arise over Musk's micromanagement and cost-cutting tendencies, potentially stifling professional expertise and hindering the company's growth. The fusion of Musk's personal brand with Twitter has resulted in a toxic environment, deterring users from active participation.
While Twitter may not completely die, it is becoming a diminished platform reliant on Musk's financial support. The lack of innovation and the site's increasingly toxic nature are turning it into a mere shell of its former self. Whether an app can emerge as a true "Twitter killer" remains uncertain, but it is clear that Musk's behaviour and product decisions are turning the platform into a zombie, starved for meaningful engagement.
Comments (0)