Twitter Storms: A Wild Ride through the Controversies

Elon Musk’s acquisition of Twitter for $44 billion kept the social media platform in the global spotlight for months. Since taking control, Musk has made several bold and controversial decisions. These included firing top executives, reducing the workforce, introducing new features, and experimenting with the platform’s identity.

While many users were surprised by these rapid changes, some experts believe Twitter’s core function — a real-time news and discussion platform — remains the same.

Here are eight major events and changes that made Elon Musk’s Twitter takeover a dramatic and widely discussed journey.

Elon Musk’s latest move involves covering the “W” on Twitter’s San Francisco headquarters, resulting in a new moniker “Titter”. Despite legal obligations to keep the sign as is, Musk cleverly painted the background color to satisfy the requirements. The move has generated buzz among social media users, with many applauding Musk’s sense of humor. However, this is not the first time that he had mentioned changing Twitter’s name. In April 2022, he conducted a poll on the social media platform, asking users if they thought the letter “W” should be removed. The poll presented users with two options: “Yes” and “Of course”. It was a clear signal that Musk was ready to shake things up, even physically.

2. Twitter’s Blue Bird Gets a Makeover:

Twitter’s iconic blue bird logo briefly disappeared after Musk replaced it with the Shiba Inu “Doge” meme, which represents the cryptocurrency Dogecoin.

The unexpected change surprised millions of users. However, the Doge logo remained only for two days before the platform returned to the traditional blue bird.

Interestingly, Dogecoin’s value rose after the logo change and later dropped once the original logo returned. This moment highlighted Musk’s strong influence on the crypto market and internet culture.

3. Controversial Accounts Make a Comeback!

Reinstated accounts: Elon Musk takes a stand for free speech

Elon Musk, who has previously referred to himself as a “free speech absolutist”, has taken a lenient stance on lifetime bans issued to certain accounts. He reinstated them, stating that a permanent removal from the site is not an effective solution. As a result, Musk has recently reinstated several accounts that were previously suspended or banned from Twitter.

One among those is the former US President Donald Trump. Following the permanent suspension of Trump’s Twitter account in January 2021, he launched a new social media app called Truth Social in February. After debating whether Trump would return to the site, Musk left it up to users on Friday by making a poll: “Reinstate former President Donald Trump,” Musk tweeted, with a “yes” and “no” option. After 51% of respondents voted “yes,” the billionaire owner restored Trump’s Twitter account. It was a pivotal moment in the platform’s history.

Next on the list is Kanye West who got suspended for the first time in October following a series of antisemitic tweets. Two months after he was reinstated, Twitter Inc. on 2 December suspended Kanye West’s account again because he had violated the platform’s rules prohibiting incitement to violence. Kanye West’s Twitter account suspension stirred up a lot of controversies among netizens. Many speculated that the suspension was due to a picture he posted of Elon Musk.

This list also includes prominent personalities like Andrew Tate, Jordan Peterson, the Babylon Bee, Kathy Griffin to name a few.

Next on the list is Kanye West, who got suspended for the first time in October following a series of antisemitic tweets. Two months after he was reinstated, Twitter Inc. on 2 December suspended Kanye West’s account again because he had violated the platform’s rules prohibiting incitement to violence. Kanye West’s Twitter account suspension stirred up a lot of controversies among netizens. Many speculated that the suspension was due to a picture he posted of Elon Musk.

4. Twitter Goes Premium with Twitter Blue:

Join the club at $ 7.99 /month and tweet in style with Twitter Blue!

One of Musk’s most controversial decisions was introducing paid verification through Twitter Blue.

Previously, the blue checkmark was reserved for public figures, journalists, and organizations. Musk changed this system by allowing any user to purchase verification through a monthly subscription.

The plan initially cost $8 per month and included features such as:

• Tweet editing

• Higher visibility

• Reduced advertisements

• Priority ranking in conversations

However, the launch led to many fake verified accounts impersonating companies and celebrities, forcing Twitter to temporarily pause the feature.

Later, the system returned with additional safeguards

5. The Quirky Obsession of C.E.O with the Number 420

Another quirky element of Musk’s leadership is his fascination with the number 420.

This number is widely associated with cannabis culture, and Musk has referenced it multiple times in business decisions and online jokes.

For example, Musk announced that Twitter would remove legacy blue checkmarks on April 20 (4/20) — a date symbolic to cannabis enthusiasts.

Previously, Musk also made headlines after tweeting about taking Tesla private at $420 per share, which led to a major legal case.

Although often humorous, these actions show Musk’s unconventional personality and leadership style.

6. Twitter’s Verification Badges: The Gold and Silver Ticks

To reduce confusion around verification, Twitter introduced a new multi-color verification system:

• Gold Tick → Verified businesses and companies

• Grey Tick → Government accounts and official organizations

• Blue Tick → Individual users and public figures

This system was designed to make it easier for users to identify official sources and authentic accounts on the platform.

7. Twitter Upgrades: A glimpse of Latest Features and Improvements

1. 1. Moreover, the platform saw several functional upgrades. Here is a look at what is new:

       
      • Spaces: Twitter Spaces is a new audio-only feature that allows users to create and join live conversations. It’s similar to Clubhouse, an audio-only social media app.
      • Fleets: Fleets is Twitter’s version of Stories. Users can post temporary content that disappears after 24 hours, allowing for more casual sharing.
      • Super Follows: Super Follows allows users to monetize their tweets by offering exclusive content to paying subscribers, creating a new revenue stream for creators.
      • New Safety Features: Twitter has also implemented new safety features. For example, users now have the ability to limit who can reply to tweets and filter out potentially offensive or harmful language.
      • Analytics: Previously, Twitter users were limited to liking, retweeting, or replying to posts. However, after the takeover, each tweet now comes with attached metrics. This allows users to see how many times a post has been viewed, among other things, providing deeper insight into engagement.

8. Twitter’s Split Newsfeed: ‘For You’ and ‘Following’ Tabs

Another major update was the split timeline system.

Twitter now separates the feed into two tabs:

For You
This section shows algorithm-recommended tweets based on user activity and interests.

Following
This tab displays tweets only from accounts the user follows.

The change is similar to TikTok’s content discovery model and helps users explore trending topics and viral content more easily.

Conclusion: A Rollercoaster of Controversies and Responsibility

 

Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter has been nothing short of dramatic. From logo changes and paid verification to reinstated accounts and new platform features, the company has experienced rapid transformation.

While some users appreciate Musk’s bold experiments, others worry about the platform’s direction and reliability.

One thing is certain: Twitter’s evolution under Elon Musk continues to attract global attention. In the fast-moving world of social media, the platform remains a powerful space for real-time news, opinions, and digital conversations.