On with Kara Swisher

Will Elon Musk Turn Twitter Into Yahoo Mail?

May 18, 2023

Zoë Schiffer, managing editor of Platformer, and Ryan Mac, tech reporter at The New York Times, dive into Twitter's transformation under Elon Musk. They discuss how the platform's shift from a global public square to a government-compliant entity affects its relevance. With Musk's controversial decisions, users feel disillusioned as censorship rises. The duo also explores the challenges facing Twitter's new ad chief, Linda Yaccarino, as she navigates a chaotic landscape while trying to balance advertiser relationships in a subscription-driven model.

51:59

Episode guests

Ryan Mac

Zoe Schiffer

AI Chapters

Episode notes

Intro

2min

Twitter's Transformation Under Musk

15min

The Twitter Dilemma and Social Narratives

5min

Navigating Advertising Challenges and Executive Changes

2min

Navigating Chaos: Linda Yaccarino at Twitter

10min

The Weight of Influence

5min

Navigating Truth in an Echo Chamber

3min

Twitter's Transformational Challenges

11min

Twitter rose to prominence as a global public square that helped enable the Arab Spring, but Elon Musk has changed all that. The platform is complying with governments more, and a murky algorithm and blue check jungle makes it feel less relevant and less reliable than ever before.

Nayeema and Kara break down how the fruit has fallen and where it may eventually land (Yahoo Mail, anyone?) with Zoë Schiffer, managing editor of Platformer, and Ryan Mac, The New York Times’s tech and accountability reporter, who was among those banned by Musk back in December.

Questions? Comments? Email us at on@voxmedia.com or find us on Instagram — yes, Instagram, it’s better than Yahoo Mail — we’re @karaswisher and @nayeemaraza

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts

Save insights instantly, chat with episodes, and build lasting knowledge - all powered by AI.