By Ismail Auwal
The Tesla and Space X billionaire, Elon Musk, announced his intention to make Twitter a platform for free speech shortly after purchasing the social media platform for $44 billion.
The company on Monday agreed to be taken over at $54.20 a share
Elon while announcing the deal in a statement said, “Free speech is the bedrock of a functioning democracy, and Twitter is the digital town square where matters vital to the future of humanity are debated.”
The billionaire vowed to make Twitter better than ever by adding new features and making the algorithms open source in order to increase trust, defeat spambots, and authenticate humans.
“Twitter has tremendous potential — I look forward to working with the company and the community of users to unlock it,” he said
Twitter’s Independent Board Chair, Bret Taylor, while confirming the transaction in a statement said, “The Twitter Board conducted a thoughtful and comprehensive process to assess Elon’s proposal with a deliberate focus on value, certainty, and financing.”
He noted that the proposed transaction will deliver a substantial cash premium, and “we believe it is the best path forward for Twitter’s stockholders.”
Twitter’s Chief Executive Officer, Parag Agrawal, added, “Twitter has a purpose and relevance that impacts the entire world. Deeply proud of our teams and inspired by the work that has never been more important.”
Elon Musk announced on April 4th that he had purchased 9.1 percent of Twitter, making him one of the company’s largest shareholders. Elon Musk announced an offer to buy Twitter for $54.20 per share on April 14th.