The Unexpected “Alliance”: How Elon Musk Became Mark Zuckerberg’s Secret Weapon

At the beginning of last year, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg faced intense scrutiny and criticism surrounding Facebook’s privacy breaches, declining ad business, and the controversial plan to rebrand as Meta. However, the focus quickly shifted to another tech billionaire: Elon Musk. Musk’s tumultuous takeover of Twitter, marked by erratic statements and significant policy changes, created chaos and drew attention away from other tech giants, including Meta. Surprisingly, Musk’s actions inadvertently provided a significant advantage to Zuckerberg, culminating in the successful launch of Meta’s Twitter clone app, Threads. This unexpected turn of events has the potential to disrupt the social media landscape and boost Meta’s struggling ad business.

The Shift in Attention

Elon Musk’s controversial moves and statements while leading Twitter diverted attention from Meta and its challenges. As Musk’s ownership of Twitter triggered user and advertiser dissatisfaction, many sought alternatives, even if it meant joining a social network run by Zuckerberg, a figure who had faced intense public criticism. This irony did not go unnoticed by early Threads users, who expressed their surprise at choosing a Zuckerberg platform despite their previous boycott of Facebook. Nonetheless, Threads witnessed unprecedented success, amassing 70 million user signups in just two days, putting it on a trajectory to challenge Twitter’s user base.

An Unlikely Alliance

The dynamic between Zuckerberg and Musk has been characterized by discord over the years. Musk has publicly criticized Facebook and Meta, highlighting his concerns about privacy and the negative impact of social media. However, Zuckerberg, in an unexpected turn, commended Musk’s leadership of Twitter, acknowledging the positive changes he brought to the platform. This newfound appreciation suggests that Musk’s actions at Twitter may have inadvertently paved the way for similar actions by other tech companies, including Meta. When Meta announced its significant layoffs, it was perceived as responsible and professional in comparison to Twitter’s handling of its own mass layoffs.

Threads: A Billion-User Opportunity

Threads represents a major opportunity for Meta and Zuckerberg to regain lost ground and attract social media users, particularly younger demographics. With Facebook’s declining appeal, Threads offers a fresh and enticing platform for users to spend more time on Meta’s apps. Zuckerberg’s ambitious goal of surpassing one billion users on Threads, dwarfing Twitter’s pre-Musk user base of 238 million, demonstrates his commitment to establishing Meta as a dominant player in the social media landscape. Additionally, Threads has the potential to supplement Meta’s core advertising business, providing a much-needed boost to its revenue streams.

The Battle Escalates

Elon Musk is not one to back down easily, and he has already taken action to counter Zuckerberg’s newfound advantage. Musk’s lawyer threatened to sue Meta, accusing the company of trade secret theft through the hiring of former Twitter employees. This legal dispute adds another layer of complexity to the ongoing Twitter-Threads battle. Furthermore, rumors of a planned cage fight between Musk and Zuckerberg have surfaced, reflecting the intense rivalry between the two billionaires.

Despite their history of clashes, Elon Musk inadvertently provided Mark Zuckerberg and Meta with a significant advantage through his controversial actions at Twitter. The launch of Threads has the potential to disrupt the social media landscape, attracting users away from Twitter and boosting Meta’s struggling ad business. While the battle between Musk and Zuckerberg intensifies, Zuckerberg seems to have already emerged as the victor, capitalizing on an unlikely alliance with Musk. As the tech world continues to evolve, it remains to be seen how this rivalry and unexpected alliance will shape the future of social media.
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Contributed by Hoang Hai Le