Since we don’t know what Twitter will look like 18 months from now (and assuming that this deal actually goes through) the extent to which free speech is returned to the platform is speculation. Your point about the ever shifting Overton Window is smart and spot on.
My best guess is that Twitter will decentralize to give individual users much more control over their experience. Those that want a safe space will be able to have that. Those that want Gab will be able to have that. Got a case of TDS? No problemo, click here and there and it’s like Trump and his low IQ troglodytes never existed!
You mention Congressional intervention (assuming via Section 230) and that seems possible but it would be a difficult needle to thread in the current environment. If November plays out like it looks like it will the task may well be impossible. It seems to me like it would be easier for the SEC to just kill the deal. I’m not a M&A guy so I cannot comment on that...way out of my depth there.
I do think that Truth Social will die and I’m surprised that ledtoids are not doing cartwheels over that. I guess the threat of big, bad Donald going back on Twitter outweighs any joy they might experience over Trump losing a bit of money - at least potentially.
There are several Substack writers who are banned on Twitter, Bad Cat, Malone, Kirsch, Joel Smalley, Jessica Rose (I think); getting them back on Twitter would boost their Substack audience so that’s a positive.
Since we don’t know what Twitter will look like 18 months from now (and assuming that this deal actually goes through) the extent to which free speech is returned to the platform is speculation. Your point about the ever shifting Overton Window is smart and spot on.
My best guess is that Twitter will decentralize to give individual users much more control over their experience. Those that want a safe space will be able to have that. Those that want Gab will be able to have that. Got a case of TDS? No problemo, click here and there and it’s like Trump and his low IQ troglodytes never existed!
You mention Congressional intervention (assuming via Section 230) and that seems possible but it would be a difficult needle to thread in the current environment. If November plays out like it looks like it will the task may well be impossible. It seems to me like it would be easier for the SEC to just kill the deal. I’m not a M&A guy so I cannot comment on that...way out of my depth there.
I do think that Truth Social will die and I’m surprised that ledtoids are not doing cartwheels over that. I guess the threat of big, bad Donald going back on Twitter outweighs any joy they might experience over Trump losing a bit of money - at least potentially.
There are several Substack writers who are banned on Twitter, Bad Cat, Malone, Kirsch, Joel Smalley, Jessica Rose (I think); getting them back on Twitter would boost their Substack audience so that’s a positive.