Elon Musk’s decision to appoint Linda Yaccarino as the new CEO of Twitter has sparked debate among users of the platform.
The announcement, made on Friday, of Yaccarino’s hiring has been met with a mixed response. While some have welcomed the move, others have expressed concern that her connections to the World Economic Forum and the Ad Council will lead to a more politically–driven platform.
Yaccarino’s first statement on Saturday sought to allay fears of a shift towards a more restrictive platform, emphasizing her commitment to the future of Twitter and maintaining a conversation with its users.
“Your feedback is VITAL to that future. I’m here for all of it. Let’s keep the conversation going and build Twitter 2.0 together!” she wrote.
In response to Musk’s announcement, Twitter users began to research Yaccarino’s past and uncovered her close ties to entities that promote stakeholder capitalism and the use of corporate power to advance political agendas.
This has led to speculation that the platform will become a more politically–based one, which has led the phrase “RIP Twitter” to trend on the platform.
In a recent interview, Yaccarino asked Musk to amend his own use of the platform and put more emphasis on content moderation. Musk, however, was wary of creating a backlash from the public, arguing that freedom of speech is paramount.
Musk has previously stated that he wouldn’t be taking on the role of CEO permanently and that he would be focusing on product design and new technology.
The appointment of Yaccarino has been seen as a way for Musk to stay in control of the platform while also relinquishing some of his responsibilities.
It remains to be seen what her tenure as CEO of Twitter will bring. For now, it appears that Yaccarino is committed to working towards a brighter future for the platform and will be open to feedback from users.
