Real-World Tony Stark: Elon Musk’s Twitter Superpower
“Elon Musk is now the main character on Twitter,” says Matt Navarra, the social media consultant.
Like William Randolph Hearst in the newspaper era and Rupert Murdoch in the cable news age, Elon Musk, one of the most well-known entrepreneurs and innovators of our time, purchased Twitter for $44 billion in October 2022. This event is unparalleled in the social media field as no other platform has had a CEO who is also its most prominent figure. For most users and the general public, the real concern is how Elon Musk uses his Twitter superpower.
The Success
With nearly 130 million followers, Mr Musk is the second most-followed user on the site after Barack Obama. His public online presence has undoubtedly played a remarkable role in his success. Elon Musk uses Twitter as a platform to share updates about his companies, engage with customers, and take suggestions and feedback from followers.
As the top influencer, Elon Musk doesn’t have to pay any other influencers for marketing. He can utilise influencer marketing to promote his brand. Owning Twitter then enhances this billionaire’s inclination towards self-promotion.
Elon Musk’s tweets not only have market value but also assist him in cultivating a devoted fanbase. His humour and willingness to engage with followers are key factors to make him an internet celebrity. He has the ability to simplify intricate technical ideas and present them in easily comprehensible tweets, which helps him to attract both tech enthusiasts and the broader public audience. These elements narrow the gap between the distant billionaire and the general public to some extent and make Musk relatable to his followers.
The Antics
However, Musk’s Twitter superpower can also be dangerous. It is well known that his tweets are impulsive and always cause controversy. The audience finds it offensive as Elon Musk uses the platform to promote doubtful assertions and discrimination against different groups including anti-vaccination ideas and bias about transgender people.
“My commitment to free speech extends even to not banning the account following my plane, even though that is a direct personal safety risk,” Elon Musk says.
It is worth asking whether Elon Musk’s actions are consistent with his remarks. Musk has banned several Journalists for the reason of sharing his location in real-time. In fact, the ban included numerous accounts that have not engaged in any wrongdoing. The common ground between banned accounts is that they hold negative views on Tesla and Musk.
When social media becomes the tool that the wealthy use to shape public opinion to their own benefit, its influence is weaponised.
It remains to be seen whether Musk can restore order at Twitter and bring stability to Tesla. However, what is certain is that as the one on the road to becoming the number one influencer on Twitter, Elon Musk should more carefully curate his online presence.
