[Brad]

Originally Posted by psmith2.0 Couldn't someone like Musk just create their own, separate platform and run it however they wanted? Those who liked his way could go there. And everyone who's happy with Twitter could stay there. No fuss, no crying and gnashing of teeth, no existential crises and breakdowns from some, etc. Wouldn't that be a better, smarter use of ~$45B? It would have to be a bit easier, big picture, wouldn't it? That's a lot of money to waste just to buy some existing platform, and piss off/alienate a sizable chunk of the population/userbase by your mere presence/ownership. Roll your own, make it exactly how you want it to be and knowing that everyone on it kinda wants to be there. Leave Twitter to that hobo-looking guy and its happy, loyal base.

This is exactly what Trump tried. It hasn't taken off quite as they probably hoped. Musk could have swooped in and funded that platform, or made yet another clone, but Musk probably wants to play with something successful that actually keeps him the spotlight.