Elon Musk told Twitter employees that they should allow offensive content during a virtual all-hands meeting meant to answer their questions and concerns as he continues to move toward finalizing his $44 billion deal for the company.
Musk appeared to call in via his cellphone to the all-hands meeting on Thursday, in which he addressed an assortment of questions from the staff. The questions shifted from his plans for the company’s employees to how his political views would affect the company’s leadership. He also provided additional details on his content moderation policy, a point of contention about his desire to acquire the company.
Users should be allowed to say “pretty outrageous things” on the platform, but Twitter doesn’t have to promote them, Musk told meeting attendees, according to the New York Times.
When asked why he loved Twitter, Musk said it was because of “freedom of speech, and freedom of reach.” He also appreciated how people could potentially “make a living on Twitter” but did not elaborate on the specifics.
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Musk emphasized productivity when asked what Twitter employees can do to earn the billionaire’s trust: “If somebody is getting useful things done, that’s great. If they aren’t getting useful things done, then why are they at the company?”
When asked about his work policy, Musk seemed willing to allow select Twitter employees to work remotely if they desired. Musk previously said that Tesla employees would be required to return to their offices. Tesla employees make cars, Musk noted, and do work that is “impossible to do remotely.”
Musk appeared noncommittal in answering questions about whether he would lay off staff at the company. Costs at Twitter “exceed revenue,” according to Musk, which is not a “great situation.” He said, though, that layoffs would be determined based on several variables.
Musk is most interested in Twitter’s “monetizable user number,” particularly if they can be convinced to make payments to the platform or to subscribe to services such as Twitter Blue. He also expressed a desire to be involved in product design and intended to be “hands-on” at Twitter in a similar way that he is at Tesla.
Musk praised multiple Chinese apps during the event. He pointed to the Chinese-owned WeChat as a potential inspiration for the social platform’s future. He also emphasized that he is “extremely literal” in what he says and that he wants to change Twitter and make it so more people can use it. He also noted TikTok’s outstanding success and how it excelled at surfacing videos that are “not boring” and engaged consumers.
Some employees expressed concerns about how Musk’s personal politics would affect his handling of the company and its leadership. Musk labeled himself as a “moderate” and noted that he had voted for Democrats in the past. Musk has also endorsed several Republican politicians in recent weeks, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Los Angeles mayoral candidate Rick Caruso.
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Musk seemed to switch his position on “authenticating all humans” and said there was real utility in allowing people to use pseudonyms. He said he hated the number of bots on the platform and expressed a desire to make it harder for them to operate on Twitter. He did not elaborate on what it would take to make it harder.
Finally, Musk said that his goal for the social media company is to see a significant increase in daily active users and that he wants to reach 1 billion users or beyond. He also emphasized that he wanted Twitter to contribute to a better, longer-lasting society and to help people better understand reality: “To better understand the nature of the universe, as much as it is possible to understand,” Musk concluded.
Video clips of Musk’s appearance at the all-hands meeting were published by Project Veritas. The edited footage featured Musk elaborating on his views regarding free speech, his political views, and his priorities regarding content moderation. “It’s essential to have free speech and to be able to just communicate freely,” Musk said in one clip.
