Elon Musk and his relationship with Twitter is no secret. The tech entrepreneur is active on the platform, regularly posting updates on his entrepreneurial endeavors and on current events.
However, it remains unclear as to how much Musk actually pays or has paid Twitter, if at all. What is known is that Musk is sometimes able to get away with posting some controversial and attention-grabbing tweets that may violate the platform’s language guidelines. This can affect how much he pays, if anything.
According to the Social Media & Internet Marketing Experts at Alchemy Digital, an experienced marketer has the potential to “take advantage of lowered fees negotiated with the platform providers by leveraging their influence”. This could mean that Musk is taking advantage of a discounted rate – as many of his tweets are oftentimes geared to garner more press attention.
Social media expert Brad Pinnell commented on Musk and Twitter fees, stating that “Most celebrities can have the ability to have negotiated pricing on their accounts.” He noted that celebrities are “entitled to some discounts, especially when they post content that will draw a lot of attention, like Elons tweets often do.”
The issue of fees and Musk’s tweets is particularly relevant when it comes to some politically or socially contested topics. Twitter’s language policy states that it has a “zero tolerance” policy for “hateful conduct”, yet when Musk posts tweets on issues such as the use of cryptocurrency, for example, the platform does not necessarily reprimand him.
Marketing researcher Jenny Smith has weighed in on the issue of Musk’s tweets, arguing that “Sometimes, Elon Musk can speak from his celebrity platform and be allowed to say what he wants to say, even if it does violate Twitter’s rules. However, this does not necessarily mean that he is not paying for it. His tweets could potentially solicit more followers, likes and retweets, which can be negotiated and factored into payment arrangements.”
Apart from the monetary aspect of Musk’s tweets, it is important to consider their effect on public opinion and the potential to incite controversial conversations. As Smith commented, “He is not immune to the repercussions and he may be paying the price in other ways”.
User Perceptions of Twitter and How Musks’s Tweets Affect Them
Not everyone is comfortable with Musk’s tweets and the potential they have to cause harm or division. User sentiment has become increasingly negative in recent years, as many have grown weary of the contentious topics that Musk brings up, regularly.
A 2019 study from the Pew Research Center found that most Americans view Twitter as a “negative influence” on the country. While user attitudes towards Twitter are generally negative, Musk’s tweets were particularly polarizing, with a majority of users having a “negative” opinion towards him and his activities on the platform.
The study found that many felt that his tweets “encouraged heated debates and potentially inflammatory statements among his followers”.
It remains to be seen how much Musk, actually pays Twitter – or if he pays them at all. What is clear is that his presence on the platform is having an impact – both direct and indirect – and may be causing controversy and division.
Musk and Harvard Debate on Twitter
A great recent example of how Musk has used Twitter to court controversy
