Twitter, now X, isn’t as everyone used to know it. It went from a basic social media platform to an advanced communication network. Many users have experienced this new and advanced side of Twitter. However, some people are still puzzled and ask, “Does Twitter still exist?”
The platform’s existence goes beyond publishing posts to entertain an audience. It combines the power of swift interaction with its advanced features. However, all of this is only obvious in its new form. So, read on to learn more about Twitter’s existence in recent times.
Does Twitter Still Exist as a Company?
No, Twitter. Inc. no longer exists because it merged into X Corp in April 2023. Twitter merged with X Corp after Elon Musk acquired it; however, it kept its main corporate structure. X Corp. is a privately held company subsidiary of X Holdings Corp., which belongs to Mr Musk.
This means Twitter is now part of the parent company, X Holdings Corp. This move potentially indicates the beginning of Elon Musk’s plan to turn Twitter into an everything app. Before merging, Twitter Inc. was an American social media company based in San Francisco, California.
Created in March 2006 as a social media network, Twitter achieved success in the years to come. By 2012, it had over 100 million users, publishing 340 million tweets daily. By 2019, there were more than 330 million monthly active Twitter users.
However, Twitter agreed to sell out to businessman and billionaire investor Elon Musk in April 2022. Musk owns several major companies, including SpaceX and X Corp. He was also the CEO and former chairman of the famous electric car company Tesla. For $44 billion, Twitter joined the list of businesses owned by Musk.
After closing the deal in October 2022, Musk took over the company and brought about many changes. One significant change was rebranding the social platform’s name from Twitter to X. Besides, Mr Musk introduced many reforms to make the platform a better place for everyone.
These large-scale policy changes have contributed to the perception that Twitter no longer exists. However, there is still much to learn about its current status and the changes that took place.
Does Twitter Have a New Name?
Yes, Twitter has a new name after its rebranding in 2023. The platform’s name is now X, and its popular bird Twitter icon is an X logo. The internet has been abuzz since the unique X logo took it by storm. Further observations have made common questions like, “Does Twitter have a new name?” pop up on search engines.
It is normal for people to ask questions since no social platform has made such a big move before. However, the name isn’t the only thing that changes about the platform. Its headquarters now displays a bright flashing X logo instead of the bird logo.
The mobile app now appears as X in app stores, and “Twitter” no longer exists on the website. However, any attempt to go to X.com still redirects users to Twitter.com. Perhaps this has contributed to people asking, “Does Twitter still exist?”
According to its owner, Elon Musk, Twitter’s acquisition was to ensure freedom of speech and boost for X. True to these words, there have been a lot of transformations on the platform. We have begun to see these transformations in features like tweet character count and Twitter verification.
The Vision Behind Rebranding to X
When Musk first announced Twitter’s rebranding, his vision was to make it a super platform. He mentioned that the new name stands for “the variable, the unknown, and the unexplored possibilities.” Mr. Musk hopes to transform it into a more adaptable, inclusive, and futuristic social platform.
Rebranding represents Twitter’s intention to expand beyond and take on a broader scale. The platform’s mission is to give everyone the power to create and share ideas without barriers. This is why its transition works towards freedom of speech while protecting its users.
One of the main elements of the rebranding is to focus on user privacy and data protection. Musk envisions a platform that protects user information and respects the limit of personal data. He also plans to introduce cutting-edge technologies to tackle misinformation and abuse efficiently.
Despite this, there have been mixed feelings about the transition. These changes have also made people see the social platform in a new light. However, it is best to carefully analyze these changes to help you understand what’s happening on the platform.
What’s Happening to Twitter?
Twitter is experiencing many reforms and policy changes. Since Elon Musk’s acquisition, the social media company has taken a different form. This is why many people ask, “Does Twitter Still Exist?” In this section, we’ve explained everything regarding what’s happening to Twitter.
Transition Into X
Rebranding Twitter to X was a significant move that created a new era for the company. As simple as the new name sounds, it was carefully thought of. According to Musk, it represents a call to embody our unique imperfections. Apart from a name change, the platform switched from the bird logo to a simple X icon.
The switch also influenced basic terms like tweets and retweets. Now, users can refer to their tweets as “posts” and retweets as “reposts.”
TweetDeck’s Transition Into XPro
TweetDeck is a free web-based tool for managing and publishing posts on multiple Twitter accounts. Its dashboard contains various account activities, such as columns for notifications, feeds, and direct messages. Now known as XPro, this tool offers enhanced functionality that users can see on the X website.
Parts of its new features include:
- A sign-on flow to help users set up their Pro experience to their preference.
- A full post composer to let users create threads and add videos, photos, polls, GIFs, or emojis to posts.
- Advanced search features to find any content quickly.
- Post order to view the top and latest posts first.
- Organizational decks to arrange columns into groups for a cleaner workspace.
- A column creator to easily create columns and search the social platform from within the column. It also creates column types like topics, profiles, events, bookmarks, and explore.
- A video docking feature to watch a video while performing other functions.
Apart from these features, the social media company is working towards introducing more. However, the tool is no longer free; users must subscribe to X Premium to use XPro.
While the transition aims to offer users more features, paying to use its services has been a significant drawback. Despite this, some users gladly welcomed and quickly adapted to the transition. Some others went for effective TweetDeck alternatives instead.
Introducing X Premium
One major change to Twitter is the introduction of X Premium. Formerly, Twitter users only had to meet the eligibility requirements for the blue tick or badge. This official recognition is for only authentic, notable, and active accounts. However, the platform replaced the legacy verification process with Twitter Blue.
This required subscribing to the services and satisfying the Twitter blue tick requirements. However, Twitter Blue has taken a different form and has become X Premium. Now, X Premium is an opt-in paid subscription offering additional features.
There are three tiers of X Premium: Basic, Premium, and Premium+, each costing different prices and offering different features. Despite this, only the name and verification tiers changed. Subscribers can still access the same advanced features as blue-verified users.
The only difference is the blue checkmark for active subscribers. Getting the checkmark means the account will not undergo the previous three criteria review. However, only eligible Premium or Premium+ subscribers will get the blue checkmark.
Shutting Down Twitter Circles
Another significant action no one anticipated was Elon Musk’s move to shut down Twitter Circle. This function allowed users to choose the number of people that viewed their posts. It was a private space to share posts with only a specific group. However, the social media company shut down the Circles function in October 2023.
People can no longer create new posts for their Circle or add more people. However, they can still remove people from their Circle. Twitter Circles existed before Musk became the company’s official owner. They were still functioning after the acquisition until April 2023, when some glitches occurred.
Some posts intended for Circles started appearing on Twitter’s “For You” timeline. This glitch defeated the purpose of creating a circle of selected audiences. X didn’t give a reason for shutting it down, but many speculations settle on the glitch as the reason.
Another theory was that the company shut down Circles to create an opportunity for Twitter communities to grow. Communities are exclusive Twitter spaces to share content, discuss topics, and connect with specific groups of users. This theory was due to its similarity to Circles.
No one can decide on a specific reason for shutting down this feature. However, it has happened to Twitter, and there is no news about its revival in the future.
Decrease in App Store Downloads
After the rebranding, X saw a dramatic decline in downloads on the Apple app store. Media strategist Eric Seufert analyzed and discovered that X fell from the 35th most downloaded app to the 54th. In a post, Seufert said that most Twitter users aren’t aware of the rebranding.
He further said that their search queries are not suggestive of Twitter. Although Musk announced the rebranding on July 23, 2023, the changes appeared on Apple’s app store on July 31. This change had an immediate effect on the number of downloads.
Eric Seufert analyzed X’s “Top Downloaded” chart performance against other social platforms between August 1 and August 11. It showed that X was weak compared to TikTok, Threads, and WhatsApp.
3. Effects of Twitter’s Transition on the Digital World
Regardless of people’s feelings about the changes on the social platform, Twitter’s transition has impacted the digital world. It is an excellent way to grow and increase its user base. Let’s explore some of the notable effects.
1. A Fresh Start
Rebranding has allowed X to avoid past controversies and present itself as a renewed entity. This fresh start allows the platform to explore new business opportunities beyond microblogging. It has led to more advanced features to reach new audiences and attract various user demographics.
2. Better Security System
Musk’s emphasis on user data protection has significantly increased people’s trust in the platform. With growing concerns about data security and privacy breaches, X has worked towards protecting its users.
3. Innovation and AI Advancements
There have been several criticisms about Twitter’s role in spreading misinformation and hate speech. However, its new commitment to enhancing AI moderation systems could reduce harmful content, misinformation, and hate speech. This would help to create a safer space for everyone.
Is Twitter Private Now?
Twitter is now private after liquidating public stocks and giving stockholders cash equivalents. This means that the company’s stocks no longer belong to the public, and they won’t have input into its operations. In 2013, Twitter became a public company after selling some parts on the stock market.
The public could buy the company shares on the New York Stock Exchange. This made about 75% of its total shares go to large institutions that invested in it. Going public allowed the company to raise funds to develop the company. It also allowed taking bonds from investors.
However, its public status meant the company had to report its finances and earnings to the Securities and Exchange Commission. It also meant its primary owners now shared power with the public. However, Elon Musk changed all of that after the acquisition. But does Twitter still exist after rebranding and going private?
Well, it maintained its existence as X. However, it’s crucial to note that Musk isn’t the only person who owns X. Since going private, X has offered stocks to its employees and granted restricted stock units (RSUs). In addition, several other investors received equity stakes during the takeover.
Musk owns the most significant shares in the company, followed by Kingdom Holding Company. This company is controlled by Prince Alwaleed bin Talal bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia. Other notable figures, including former CEO Jack Dorsey, also own shares in the company.
Create a Fresh Start Like Twitter With TweetEraser
As mentioned earlier, Twitter’s rebranding is the beginning of a fresh start. However, the company isn’t the only one with the power to begin with a clean slate. You, as a user, can clear your traces on the platform. With TweetEraser, you can clear your entire Twitter history and rebrand your profile.
TwwetEraser offers an effective web-based option to delete unwanted posts in bulk. It also offers an auto-delete feature to delete posts when you can’t spare a few minutes per day. In addition, it lets you filter and delete posts, reposts, and likes.
With a few clicks, you can create a profile that will reform your social presence. Now, you may be scared of people questioning your X account’s existence like, “Does Twitter still exist?”
But don’t worry; TweetEraser doesn’t tamper with your profile. Our tool only allows you to remove traces of embarrassing posts and reposts forever. So, start filtering and cleaning your X timeline today!
