New Twitter CEO Linda Yaccarino sent out her first pair of tweets since Elon Musk announced that she had been hired earlier this week. The former NBCUniversal advertising chief vowed to listen to feedback and work to build “Twitter 2.0” together with Musk, who intends to transform Twitter into an “everything app” that includes shopping and payment processing, among other things.
“Thank you [Elon Musk]. I’ve long been inspired by your vision to create a brighter future. I’m excited to help bring this vision to Twitter and transform this business together!” Yaccarino wrote in a tweet Friday. “I see I have some new followers… I’m not as prolific as @elonmusk (yet!), but I’m just as committed to the future of this platform. Your feedback is VITAL to that future. I’m here for all of it. Let’s keep the conversation going and build Twitter 2.0 together!”
I see I have some new followers👀…👋 I’m not as prolific as @elonmusk (yet!), but I’m just as committed to the future of this platform.
Your feedback is VITAL to that future. I’m here for all of it.
Let’s keep the conversation going and build Twitter 2.0 together!
— Linda Yaccarino (@lindayacc) May 13, 2023
Yaccarino’s hiring has sparked controversy among free speech advocates and those who approve of the direction Musk has taken Twitter in since acquiring the company last October. Concerns have been raised over her participation at the World Economic Forum summit in 2019, as well as previous endorsements of DEI programs at NBC.
In addition, Yaccarino interviewed Musk at the Possible 2023 marketing event in Miami this past April. In the interview, she argued that greater “influence” from advertisers over product development and content moderation would make Twitter something investors would be “excited” to get behind. She also suggested that Musk reinstate the infamous “influence council” calling it a “recurring feedback loop” where they had “recurring access” to Twitter.
Others have pointed out that she follows a number of influential conservative figures, including Ron DeSantis, Jack Posobiec and Libs of TikTok, among others.
Musk has stated that he and Yaccarino will be holding a Twitter space where speakers can ask questions in the coming days.
