Elon Musk Defends Twitter Acquisition Amid Backlash Over $44bn Deal - The Florida Star | The Georgia Star
Summary
Elon Musk has faced widespread backlash following his $44 billion acquisition of Twitter. During the Paris VivaTech event this week, Musk poked fun at himself amid the controversy and said, “If I’m so smart, why did I pay so much for Twitter then?” When asked about the rationale behind the purchase, Musk expressed concerns about Twitter’s impact “on civilization,” stating that he believed the platform was having a detrimental effect. “I felt Twitter kept moving in a negative direction, and my hope and aspiration was for it to be a positive force for civilization,” he explained. We’ve gotten rid of 95% of child exploitation material on Twitter, which was a shock to see some of what was going on for 10 years.” While joking about himself, Musk said, “I’m definitely not evil.” Before attending the conference, the world’s two wealthiest individuals, Louis Vuitton’s Bernard Arnault and Musk, lunched together on Friday in Paris. They caught up for lunch at the Cheval Blanc, one of Europe’s most expensive hotels that offers a breathtaking view of the Eiffel Tower.