Will Elon Musk's ultimatum cost him Twitter?

Elon Musk's poll, asking whether helium should basal down arsenic the brag of Twitter, appeared hours aft helium was photographed astatine the World Cup last successful Qatar.

That photograph tells america 2 things: firstly, Musk was lasting beside Jared Kushner - the son-in-law of Donald Trump, the erstwhile US President whom Musk has tried, and failed, to entice backmost to the societal web helium present owns.

Musk knows that a bombastic Trump tweet would apt supply a controversial, but 'jackpot' infinitesimal for Twitter - and bring immense audiences to the platform.

Trump knows this too, of course, and has his ain docket - specifically his ain societal network, Truth Social, to which helium has truthful acold remained loyal.

Pardon the pun but Musk's trump paper remains unplayed.

The 2nd constituent astir the photo? It proves Musk was geographically successful the vicinity of Saudi Arabia - location to Twitter's biggest investors. Did helium driblet in, and did they - on with millions of radical who usage Twitter each time - airs immoderate superior questions astir his enactment during the past mates of months?

The canvass has either spectacularly backfired - if Musk was looking for an ego-boost - oregon it has been a immense occurrence successful getting him disconnected the alternatively ample hook helium has recovered himself caught connected since his acquisition of Twitter was, basically, forced through.

Let's not hide that the Tesla laminitis spent months trying to get retired of buying this company.

As I write, Musk's Twitter provender is uncharacteristically silent.

That won't beryllium the lawsuit for long, undoubtedly. He has a way grounds for listening to polls. After all, helium enactment to the ballot whether oregon not helium should bargain Twitter successful the archetypal place, erstwhile this full circus began.

In the past, helium has besides asked Twitter users to assistance him determine whether to merchantability invaluable Tesla stock.

It's an unorthodox mode of doing large business, to accidental the least. But with Elon Musk, we person grown to expect the unexpected.

So... if helium does what he's been told by the radical and quits - who takes over?

He's been a one-man set since his accomplishment astatine the societal media company. There's been nary regular notation of a deputy, oregon idiosyncratic with whom helium has worked closely. Meta's Mark Zuckerberg had Sheryl Sandberg, Amazon's Jeff Bezos had Andy Jassy (now CEO). Musk has nary evident Twitter wingman.

Even those elder figures helium initially saw arsenic allies, similar Head of Trust and Integrity Yoel Roth, person since near the concern and criticised Musk's leadership.

But earlier you particulate disconnected your CV, see for a infinitesimal the occupation statement of Twitter CEO. You person the world's astir demanding boss; you inherit a demoralised workforce - fractional of it precocious laid disconnected and the remainder nether acquisition to enactment agelong hours. The finances are bleak according to Musk: helium says Twitter is operating astatine a nonaccomplishment of $4m per day.

And past determination is the bequest of chaotic decision-making which has defined caller months astatine Twitter. Musk's attack to moderation was decidedly personal. The "digital municipality square" helium claimed helium wanted to make was rapidly opening to consciousness much similar you had walked into his location and were trying not to sound implicit the ornaments.

Policies came and went seemingly connected a whim.

Any aboriginal main besides faces the situation of trying to support the information of immoderate 300 cardinal Twitter users, posting successful existent clip - including contented which tin beryllium abusive, violative and, sometimes, illegal.

Throw into that premix the unpredictability of Musk himself - and the ongoing hazard that his adjacent tweet could origin untold reputational harm and/or regulatory scrutiny. After all, helium was banned from tweeting astir Tesla aft causing the stock terms to autumn erstwhile helium said it was over-valued.

Then again, you could accidental that the lone mode is up.

A caller CEO who is little intent connected relentless gyration mightiness calm investors and amended worker morale. Currently each 2nd tweet successful my timeline is radical threatening to permission Twitter oregon complaining astir it. A societal web obsessed with itself is arguably not fulfilling its potential.

Space enthusiast Elon Musk thought Twitter needed a spot of rocket substance and he's surely provided that.

But possibly he's present learning the hard mode that societal media, and the radical who bring it to life, are not machines. Perhaps the aboriginal of this troubled steadfast lies not successful the stars, but with feet firmly connected coagulated ground. If he'll let it.

You tin travel Zoe Kleinman connected Twitter @zsk.