Elon Musk asked Twitter users via poll—his preferred decision-making method lately—if he should step down as the head of Twitter. Of over 17.5 million responses, 57.5% said yes.
Catch up: In recent days, Elon has faced backlash over creating some seemingly off-the-cuff platform rules, like banning accounts for sharing people’s real-time locations (including the one tracking his jet) or promoting other social media sites in their bios.
Why it matters: Some critics suggest Elon’s polls only offer the illusion of public sway on decisions he’s already made, like reinstating Donald Trump or selling his Tesla shares. Musk did say from the outset that he didn’t intend to remain Twitter’s CEO for the long term.
- Whether or not this is a convenient way to step back from the company during a rocky time, Musk deserves some credit for usually going with what the “people” want.
- Other factors could be pushing Musk to step down, too. Tesla, of which Musk is the CEO, has been hurting as shareholders increasingly worry about his lack of focus.
Yes, but: It’s not entirely unclear how the company's direction would change under a new leader, considering Musk would still get the last word, you know, since he owns the thing.
What’s next: The search for a successor could create more chaos at Twitter and guarantee a few more Musk-filled news cycles (which we apologize for in advance). Users are fleeing, the EU has threatened sanctions over banning accounts, and Musk is looking for investors.