WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 26th November, 2022) Twitter's new owner, billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, says he will create a new smartphone if the social network is removed from the Apple and Google app stores.
"I certainly hope it does not come to that, but, yes, if there is no other choice, I will make an alternative phone," Musk tweeted on Friday, in response to a user's suggestion that Musk should produce his own phone instead of the "biased, snooping iPhone and Android," if the Twitter app becomes unavailable on them.
On October 28, Musk finalized the acquisition of Twitter, which cost him $44 billion. Following the takeover, Musk changed the company's day-to-day operations, including the termination of Twitter's executives, who were responsible for the platform's privacy and cybersecurity, as well as regular Twitter employees. The significant policy changes have caused a wave of concern.
The departure of Apple's lead App Store executive, Phil Schiller, from Twitter sparked speculation that the tech giant could be growing concerned about Musk's handling of the social media platform.
Former Twitter trust and safety head Yoel Roth said in a New York Times op-ed last week that failure to adhere to Apple and Google's guidelines would be "catastrophic," risking removal from their app stores.
The Washington Post reported on Wednesday, citing market research data, that more than one-third of Twitter's top 100 advertisers had stopped putting ads on the social media platform in the two weeks following Musk's takeover of the company.
Earlier this month, Twitter unblocked former US President Donald Trump's account, banned after the January 6, 2021 events at the US Capitol, as the majority of participants in a survey conducted by Musk voted in favor of the measure.
Musk has promised that Twitter will reinstate blocked accounts after the majority of users voted for "general amnesty." He has already reinstated a number of previously suspended accounts, including that of artist Kanye West, also known as Ye. However, Musk has still declined to reinstate some accounts, such as that of conspiracy theorist Alex Jones.
