The CEO of Twitter/X, Linda Yaccarino, recently appeared at the 2023 Code Conference and gave an interview with CNBC’s Julia Boorstin. However, her responses regarding the direction of the company were concerning and may have indicated a breakdown in communication with owner Elon Musk. During the interview, Yaccarino seemed unaware of Musk’s plans to implement a mandatory monthly fee for users on Twitter/X, which he stated was necessary to combat bots. Yaccarino struggled to confirm these plans and appeared caught off guard, refusing to provide a direct answer.
Yaccarino’s dodging of the question and her attempts to divert attention to her role at Twitter/X and praise Elon Musk raised further doubts about her knowledge of his intentions. She even asked the audience if they wouldn’t want Elon Musk running the product, displaying a lack of awareness of public opinion. Given the widespread criticism Musk has faced since acquiring Twitter/X, with users and advertisers leaving the platform and its value decreasing, it is unlikely that the percentage of people eager to have Musk as a colleague is as high as Yaccarino claims.
During the interview, Yaccarino also responded to comments made by Yoel Roth, a vocal critic of Musk who previously worked as Twitter’s head of trust and safety. Yaccarino ignored the fact that Twitter and Twitter/X are essentially the same company with a different name and emphasized that Twitter/X is focused on building a foundation based on free expression and freedom of speech. While Yaccarino’s apparent ignorance of Musk’s monetization plans may suggest that serious discussions haven’t taken place, it is unclear if this means the plans won’t be implemented in the future. Overall, Yaccarino’s responses left many disappointed, as they were hoping for accountability and a tempering of Musk’s whims from the CEO of Twitter/X.
