Six things we learned from Elon Musk interview

Elon Musk has defended however helium runs Twitter successful a uncommon and wide-ranging interrogation with the BBC.

The world's 2nd richest antheral was questioned for astir an hr by the BBC's exertion analogous James Clayton astatine Twitter office successful San Francisco.

Here are six things we learned.

Mr Musk was asked astir hatred code connected Twitter, and helium refused to judge determination was much hateful contented connected the level since helium took over.

Speaking to the BBC earlier this year, immoderate Twitter insiders person argued that the institution is nary longer capable to support users from trolling, state-coordinated disinformation and kid intersexual exploitation, pursuing lay-offs and changes nether proprietor Mr Musk.

In March, Twitter said it removed 400,000 accounts successful 1 period unsocial to assistance "make Twitter safer".

In bid to measure Mr Musk's claims afloat you'd request 2 things which we don't person astatine contiguous - entree to Twitter's information earlier and aft his takeover and, crucially, a wide knowing of however helium defines misinformation and hatred speech.

There is nary broad explanation of hatred code nether American law, which is mostly overmuch much permissive than different countries due to the fact that of the archetypal amendment to the US Constitution.

Close to fractional the state voted for Mr Trump successful the past US election, Mr Musk said, but: "I wasn't 1 of them."

In different portion of the interview, helium defended ending a Twitter prohibition connected Mr Trump who had been removed successful 2021 erstwhile the level accused him of inciting violence.

Mr Musk claimed his efforts to delete bots - automated accounts - had decreased misinformation connected Twitter aft his takeover.

"My acquisition is determination is little misinformation alternatively than more," helium told our reporter.

Some extracurricular experts disagree. A study from Newsguard which tracks online misinformation - and determination are rather a fewer different studies on the aforesaid lines - recovered that engagement with popular, misinformation-spreading accounts spiked aft Mr Musk's takeover.

In the week pursuing his acquisition of Twitter, the astir popular, untrustworthy accounts enjoyed an astir 60% summation successful engagement successful the signifier of likes and retweets, according to the survey.

The BBC has besides independently analysed much than 1,000 previously-banned accounts that had been fto backmost connected Twitter aft Mr Musk's takeover, and recovered that since being reinstated, implicit a 3rd of them had dispersed maltreatment oregon misinformation.

This included mendacious anti-vax claims, misogyny and anti-LGBT rhetoric, and the denial of the 2020 US predetermination result.

Musk says helium doesn't usage the astir downloaded app successful the US but helium is against immoderate moves to adjacent it down.

The US is considering a prohibition owed to information concerns implicit TikTok's Chinese ownership. Some different countries person banned it from the phones of authorities employees.

"I'm mostly against banning things," said Mr Musk, though helium says a prohibition would payment Twitter due to the fact that it whitethorn mean much radical spending clip connected his platform.

Elon Musk claims that if idiosyncratic offered to bargain Twitter for what helium paid for it, he'd refuse. But is that true? Remember, Musk desperately tried to backmost retired of the deal.

Musk claims Twitter had conscionable months near to unrecorded erstwhile helium took implicit and was being tally similar a non-profit.

Twitter's costs were outstripping the magnitude of gross it was generating. In its past full-year results published earlier Musk took over, full income deed $5bn successful 2021 but costs and expenses reached $5.5bn. In fact, it has lone had 2 profitable years since 2012.

Musk reckons Twitter is present adjacent to breaking even. No wonderment - sacking 6,500 workers does thin to lighten one's costs.

But helium has besides been proactive successful uncovering ways to boost income done things specified arsenic changing Twitter users for "blue tick" verification.

So yes, Twitter mightiness beryllium nearing breaking adjacent present due to the fact that of drastic cost-cutting. But the question is whether it tin prolong that way to profitability and marque the institution worthy that $44bn terms tag.

Musk confirmed helium would alteration the BBC Twitter statement from "government funded" to "publicly funded" aft past week's row.

The BBC had objected to the archetypal description, stressing the corporation's independence. It is chiefly funded by the British nationalist done a TV licence fee.

In Wednesday's interview, Musk said: "If we usage the aforesaid words arsenic the BBC uses to picture itself, that presumably would beryllium OK."

The licence interest made up astir 71% of the BBC's full income of £5.3bn successful 2022 - with the remainder coming from its commercialized and different activities similar grants, royalties and rental income.

The BBC besides receives much than £90m per twelvemonth from the authorities to enactment the BBC World Service, which predominantly serves non-UK audiences.

Reporting by Jake Horton of Reality Check and Dearbail Jordan, concern reporter