By The Time You Read This Twitter Might Be Gone

By Jen Maravegias | Social Media | November 18, 2022

Header Image Source: Getty Images

Watching Elon Musk burn down his $44 billion dollar baby in real time has been both wildly entertaining and unnerving. We all have a love/hate relationship with Twitter. Even those who are smug in their “well, I’ve never used it” have benefited from embeds and news disseminated through Twitter to other outlets. It is the public square, where we can discuss everything from shower habits (remember that time we all got mad about leg washing?) to Union organization (hi, Jorts!). Since Musk’s purchase of the platform, the discussion has turned to criticizing the new owner and lamenting its seemingly inevitable loss.

Things went from bad to worse at Twitter HQ overnight. And yes, I’m about to embed a whole bunch of Tweets. If Rome is going to burn, we might as well fiddle.

Oh shit lol. Twitter HQ in San Francisco tonight pic.twitter.com/wAmL4PUZkU
— Read Jackson Rising by @CooperationJXN (@JoshuaPHilll) November 18, 2022

Reporters from various outlets started tweeting updates about the situation as it ~~unfolded~~ rolled downhill, on fire, screaming at the top of its lungs.

What I’m hearing from Twitter employees; It looks like roughly 75% of the remaining 3,700ish Twitter employees have not opted to stay after the “hardcore” email.

Even though the deadline has passed, everyone still has access to their systems.
— Kylie Robison (@kyliebytes) November 17, 2022

We're hearing this is because Elon Musk and his team are terrified employees are going to sabotage the company. Also, they're still trying to figure out which Twitter workers they need to cut access for.
— Zoë Schiffer (@ZoeSchiffer) November 17, 2022

Sooo I’m told by two people that the entirety of Twitters payroll department has resigned/not elected to sign up for Elons Twitter 2.0
— Kali Hays (@HaysKali) November 18, 2022

NEW: Twitter just alerted employees that effective immediately, all office buildings are temporarily closed and badge access is suspended. No details given as to why.
— Zoë Schiffer (@ZoeSchiffer) November 17, 2022

This morning #ApparentlyTwitter, #RIPTwitter, and #JackDorsey are trending as users make plans to migrate to other platforms or are just sh*tposting because there’s no one left on Twitter’s moderation team to delete tweets.

Jack Dorsey must have truly hated this company. He didn't just fail it, he let its people suffer the extreme. In my book, it is a disgrace to work for someone who has no issues destroying something so hard to build so easily.
— Jaana Dogan ヤナドガン (@rakyll) November 18, 2022

It’s been a good run. I joined Twitter so I could complain more effectively to the MTA about buses not running on time. But it’s also where I connected with Climate Activists across the globe, stayed up to date on Covid-19, rated dogs, and got my glamour shots of capybaras. I’ll miss the capybaras most of all.

Who could have possibly seen this coming? Oh.

i truly believe that i will usher in a new era of peace and prosperity when i get every single post on hthis fucking website deleted by 2022
— wint (@dril) August 24, 2017

Happy Friday! Twitter users heading into the weekend like …