The Wild Ride of X: How Elon Musk's Rebrand is Shaping the Future of Social Media

Busy Business Owner Podcast

Welcome back to The Busy Business Owner, the only show on the internet hosted by a slice of Unbuttered Bread. Today, we’re diving into the transformation of Twitter into X. Since Elon Musk’s takeover, X has been making waves. Every day seems to bring a new twist to this evolving platform, and today, we’re breaking it all down.
From Twitter to X: What’s the Big Deal?
Twitter is no more. Musk rebranded it as X, part of his ambition to create an "everything app." His vision? To make X a digital Swiss Army knife—combining social media, instant messaging, and financial services into one platform, much like China’s WeChat.
This is just the beginning of the changes. Let’s dive into the updates.
Expanded Features: Too Much of a Good Thing?
One major update is the character limit. Subscribers can now post zits (formerly tweets) up to 4,000 characters long. Is this an improvement, or does it just give more room for rants and noise? Expanding the space for everyone to voice their thoughts might make things louder and more chaotic.
Subscription Model: Worth the Price?
X has also introduced a subscription model. X Blue costs $8 per month or $84 annually, offering features like post editing and longer character limits. There’s also an extreme tier with additional perks like enhanced algorithm boosts. While these features seem appealing, it’s clear that X is monetizing what was once free. The big question is: will users pay up?
Privacy Updates: More Secure or Just a Gimmick?
Privacy is always a concern on social media. X promises better privacy features, but is it really secure? Some users are skeptical, comparing these new measures to putting a padlock on a screen door—visibly secure, but not truly effective.
X Spaces: More Chaos, Less Conversation?
X Spaces takes Twitter Spaces to a new level, allowing users to join real-time audio chat rooms. However, the expanded features seem to add even more noise. It’s harder than ever to have meaningful conversations in a space where everyone is talking at once.
Content Moderation: The Return of the Wild West
Musk’s vision of free speech means fewer restrictions on what can be said. While this might sound liberating, it also opens the door for hate speech and misinformation to spread. The wild west of social media is back, and it’s going to be tough for X to balance freedom of speech with responsibility.
A Look Back at Twitter’s Stock
Before X was born, Twitter’s stock had a wild ride of its own. In March 2021, it peaked at $77.63 but experienced volatility throughout the year. Musk’s acquisition announcement in April 2022 spiked the stock price, but uncertainties caused fluctuations until the deal was finalized in October 2022. Twitter was taken private, and its stock ceased public trading at $53.70 per share.
X’s Next Move: Leaving Its Iconic HQ
In a surprising move, X is leaving its San Francisco headquarters. As the company searches for new office space, rumors of remote islands or secret lairs have popped up, but we’ll have to wait and see where they end up.
What’s Next for X?
Is X poised to become the all-in-one app Musk envisions, or will it struggle to maintain its user base? Only time will tell.