3 ms·

Dear Twitter Advertisers from Elon Musk

15 points by pgrote 4y ago

amadeuspagel 4y ago
> Anything can be said with no consequences. > You can choose your desired experience according to your preferences. These things do not contradict each other. People can be both free to say anything without consequences, and to choose whom to listen to.
- awb 4y ago
  No, this is the rapid realization that “absolute” free speech is not protected in the US, or in any legal jurisdiction. When you buy a company and now have skin in the game, idealism turns into realism. It’s a good lesson for anyone that follows anyone that doesn’t have skin in the game but is just pontificating. These rabble rousers seek attention which is converted into money. All while not providing a product or service but just selling you the privilege to listen to an untested idea that they have no intention of implementing. “Absolute” free speech is a popular catch phrase. It’s also illegal: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_free_speech_exceptions https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_free_speech_ex... Musk has skin in the game with many of his endeavors and they’ve worked out brilliantly. But, it was clear to see from day 1 that “absolute” free speech was a pie in the sky idea that he couldn’t possibly implement legally or palatably.
amadeuspagel 4y ago
Probably a response to a WSJ article on advertiser pressure[1]. Instead, Musk should make it easier for individuals to advertise on twitter. Many derrive some direct financial benefit from twitter - for their career, for their business. Add a "promote" or "boost" button to every tweet. [1]: https://www.wsj.com/articles/elon-musk-will-face-an-early-twitter-challenge-preventing-advertiser-flight-11666871828?st=bpqguopcyg7kbn7 https://www.wsj.com/articles/elon-musk-will-face-an-early-tw...
- _aavaa_ 4y ago
  Won't that lead to the facebook issue where the incentives are for facebook to not show anything that isn't boosted? And you ahve to "boost" your posts jsut so people who follow you can see them over teh other boosted ones?
  - amadeuspagel 4y ago
    The only reason that twitter doesn't have that problem is that no one wants to advertise there. If you have a good advertising business, why show anything but ads?
zimpenfish 4y ago
> You can choose your desired experience according to your preferences. > highly relevant ads are actually content! Doesn't sound like you can choose your desired experience to be ad-free though.
dingosity 4y ago
Mmmm... the banks are in for 13B on this deal. I think they think making money is more important than... establishing a digital town hall for 229 million users, some number of which may or may not be bots.

15 points by pgrote 4y ago

> Anything can be said with no consequences. > You can choose your desired experience according to your preferences. These things do not contradict each other. People can be both free to say anything without consequences, and to choose whom to listen to.

awb 4y ago
No, this is the rapid realization that “absolute” free speech is not protected in the US, or in any legal jurisdiction. When you buy a company and now have skin in the game, idealism turns into realism. It’s a good lesson for anyone that follows anyone that doesn’t have skin in the game but is just pontificating. These rabble rousers seek attention which is converted into money. All while not providing a product or service but just selling you the privilege to listen to an untested idea that they have no intention of implementing. “Absolute” free speech is a popular catch phrase. It’s also illegal: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_free_speech_exceptions https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_free_speech_ex... Musk has skin in the game with many of his endeavors and they’ve worked out brilliantly. But, it was clear to see from day 1 that “absolute” free speech was a pie in the sky idea that he couldn’t possibly implement legally or palatably.

amadeuspagel 4y ago

Probably a response to a WSJ article on advertiser pressure[1]. Instead, Musk should make it easier for individuals to advertise on twitter. Many derrive some direct financial benefit from twitter - for their career, for their business. Add a "promote" or "boost" button to every tweet. [1]: https://www.wsj.com/articles/elon-musk-will-face-an-early-twitter-challenge-preventing-advertiser-flight-11666871828?st=bpqguopcyg7kbn7 https://www.wsj.com/articles/elon-musk-will-face-an-early-tw...

_aavaa_ 4y ago
Won't that lead to the facebook issue where the incentives are for facebook to not show anything that isn't boosted? And you ahve to "boost" your posts jsut so people who follow you can see them over teh other boosted ones?
- amadeuspagel 4y ago
  The only reason that twitter doesn't have that problem is that no one wants to advertise there. If you have a good advertising business, why show anything but ads?

zimpenfish 4y ago

> You can choose your desired experience according to your preferences. > highly relevant ads are actually content! Doesn't sound like you can choose your desired experience to be ad-free though.

dingosity 4y ago

Mmmm... the banks are in for 13B on this deal. I think they think making money is more important than... establishing a digital town hall for 229 million users, some number of which may or may not be bots.