Elon Musk’s Twitter Takeover and the Battle for Transparent Leadership
Published on September 30, 2024, at 5:01 p.m.
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Elon Musk: innovative founder of SpaceX and Tesla, outspoken political supporter, and controversial owner of X Corp. In October of 2022, Twitter, now rebranded as X, was purchased by Elon Musk. Since then, the social platform has been a point of conflict and disconnection between Musk’s public statements and the platform’s actual policies.
This gap has not only fueled public mistrust but also led to backlash from various stakeholders, including employees, advertisers and users. The most recent divide comes from Musk allowing blocked users to still see your posts but not engage with them. Changes, such as those made to blocked users, mean his promises to create a platform for open dialogue and enhance user safety have often contradicted the operational realities of X.
For example, Musk’s initial assertions emphasized maintaining high standards for information accuracy and reducing misinformation. However, under his leadership, X rolled back many of its misinformation safeguards, including exiting the EU’s Code of Practice on Disinformation. This retreat from previous commitments has resulted in a notable increase in the spread of misleading information on the platform.
Employees are the most outspoken about their growing dissatisfaction with the company’s direction. Musk’s drastic layoffs — reportedly over 6,000 employees — have left remaining staff feeling overburdened and uncertain about their roles.
Additionally, rapid policy shifts, such as monetizing verification through a paid subscription model, have undermined trust in the platform. This policy change allowed anyone to obtain a verification badge for $8, leading to widespread impersonation and misinformation, including a notable incident involving a fake account that caused a dip in Eli Lilly’s stock price.
Advertisers, too, have been adversely affected by these changes. Many have pulled back their advertising spend on the platform due to concerns over brand safety amid rising incidents of hate speech and misinformation. Multiple reports indicate a significant drop in revenue, with advertisers wary of associating their brands with a platform where content moderation appears inconsistent.
The ongoing turbulence at X illustrates the risks associated with leadership that prioritizes rapid transformation over stability and trust. Everyday consumers are increasingly questioning the viability of a platform where public statements from leadership do not align with the evolving policies, ultimately leading to a climate of mistrust and dissatisfaction.
As X continues to navigate these challenges, the question for public relations professionals is how Musk will reconcile his vision with the expectations of different parties. This situation underscores the importance of aligning leadership messaging with organizational actions. Inconsistent communication, as seen with Musk’s public statements versus operational decisions, can damage credibility for years.
Effective public relations practices stress the need for transparency, consistency and stakeholder engagement. Musk’s approach, which often prioritizes rapid transformation, overlooks these core PR principles. To repair and maintain relationships, X will need a clear, unified communications strategy that not only addresses stakeholder concerns but also delivers on promises.
As Musk and his team navigate this new X-perience in the highly competitive social media landscape, the next steps will determine the platform’s long-term reputation and success.
