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The cover of Character Limit

Character Limit

Kate Conger, Ryan Mac, 2024

Follow Elon Musk's $44 billion Twitter takeover and see what happens when one owner runs a fragile human institution like a machine.

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12 parts, about 24 minutes to read.

Why read it

  • Follows how a public square with fragile governance was bought and remade around one owner
  • Shows how a rushed deal, debt and loyalty tests changed moderation, staff and trust
  • Reconstructed in close detail from inside the company, deal talks, boardroom and court fight

Who it is for

  • Readers who followed the takeover in headlines and want the full story
  • People working in social media, moderation or advertising
  • Managers curious how a company unravels when process gives way

What the summary covers

  1. A new owner bends Twitter to his will2 min
  2. Success, grievance, and exemption2 min
  3. The unsolved problem of governing speech2 min
  4. From devoted user to buyer2 min
  5. From independence plan to binding contract2 min
  6. The failed escape2 min
  7. Closing without transition2 min
  8. The badge, the layoffs, and the loss of trust2 min
  9. Loyalty replaces process2 min
  10. A platform reshaped around its owner2 min
  11. A chief executive under the owner2 min
  12. The company becomes the cost of the post2 min

Recommended by

  • John CarreyrouAuthor of Bad Blood
    The definitive account of how the world’s richest man, in a fit of unbridled vanity and arrogance, took over and destroyed our digital town square.
  • Jia TolentinoAuthor of Trick Mirror
    I found Character Limit astonishing.
  • Taylor LorenzAuthor of Extremely Online
    Character Limit is a masterclass in investigative reporting.
  • Bradley HopeAuthor of Billion Dollar Whale
    A gripping, behind-the-scenes account of the chaos unleashed when the world’s richest man bought one of its most influential social media platforms.

About the authors

  • Kate CongerNew York Times technology reporter
    • Covers X, formerly Twitter, and its owner Elon Musk for The New York Times
    • Worked as a reporter at TechCrunch from 2016 to 2017 on tech policy and cybersecurity
    • Was first to report on the Google memo by James Damore while at Gizmodo
    • Joined The New York Times in July 2018
  • Ryan MacNew York Times technology reporter, formerly at BuzzFeed News and Forbes
    • Attended Stanford University from 2007 to 2011
    • Staff writer at Forbes from 2011 to 2017, where he compiled the annual billionaires list
    • Led BuzzFeed News reporting on Facebook that won a 2019 Mirror Award and a 2020 George Polk Award

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