Musk Halts Twitter Takeover Over Disputed Spam Bot Statistics
Elon Musk pauses his $44 billion acquisition of Twitter, demanding proof that fake accounts make up less than five percent of users. The billionaire insists the deal cannot proceed until the social network provides solid evidence to back its claims.
Elon Musk officially pauses his $44 billion bid to buy Twitter, declaring that the takeover cannot move forward until the company proves its claim that spam bots make up less than five percent of its user base. He states that his original offer relies entirely on the accuracy of Twitter's SEC filings, which he now heavily doubts.
The standoff escalates after Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal posts a public thread defending the social network's calculation methods. Musk responds to this detailed explanation with a simple poop emoji, raising questions about his commitment to the non-disparagement agreement he signed as part of the acquisition red tape.
Musk argues that the actual number of fake or automated accounts sits at 20 percent or higher, suggesting that Twitter's reported 229 million monetizable daily active users is significantly inflated. Until Twitter provides the solid data he demands, the world's richest person keeps his massive buyout deal firmly on hold.