Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

Alamy Stock Photo

Twitter announces hiring freeze and top executives' exit ahead of Elon Musk takeover

Musk’s $44-billion deal to buy Twitter was announced last month but still needs the backing of shareholders and regulators.

TWITTER HAS CONFIRMED that two senior executives are heading for the exit and it has paused most hiring, as Elon Musk stands poised to become the global messaging platform’s new owner.

Kayvon Beykpour, a general manager who leads research, design and engineering at Twitter, is leaving along with head of products Bruce Falck, a Twitter spokesperson told AFP.

Beykpour however said he was ousted from the San Francisco-based tech company.

“The truth is that this isn’t how and when I imagined leaving Twitter, and this wasn’t my decision,” Beykpour, who is on paternity leave, said in a tweet.

Twitter chief Parag Agrawal “asked me to leave after letting me know that he wants to take the team in a different direction,” he added.

Twitter also confirmed that, effective this week, it is pausing all hiring except for business-critical roles.

Musk’s $44-billion deal to buy Twitter was announced last month but still needs the backing of shareholders and regulators.

The takeover is expected to close later in 2022, with Musk – who runs space exploration endeavor SpaceX and electric automaker Tesla – stepping in as its boss at least for a little while.

Musk is on record saying he would lift the ban Twitter slapped on Donald Trump, contending that kicking the former US president off the platform “alienated a large part of the country.”

Musk’s endorsement of a Trump return triggered fears among activists that Musk would “open the floodgates of hate.”

Trump has stated publicly he would not come back to Twitter if permitted, sticking instead with his own social network, Truth Social, which has failed to gain traction.

Trump was booted from Twitter and other online platforms after supporters, fired up by his tweets and speech alleging election fraud, attacked the US Capitol on January 6, 2021 in a deadly bid to stop Joe Biden from being certified as winner of the presidential election two months earlier.

Musk reasoned that permanent bans at Twitter should be rare, and reserved for accounts that are spam, scams or run by software “bots.”

Activist groups have called on Twitter advertisers to boycott the service if it opens the gates to abusive and misinformative posts with Musk as its owner.

The fate of Twitter’s top attorney, deemed a moral champion of the platform, has been in doubt since Musk tweeted displeasure with content moderation she had carried out.

The lawyer, Vijaya Gadde, has led efforts to battle bullying and posts that could lead to real-world harm such as the US Capitol riot.

She was involved in the decision to ban Trump, and others including removing political advertising from the app.

© – AFP, 2022

Author
View 25 comments
Close
25 Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic. Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy here before taking part.
Leave a Comment
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Thunder Snowman
    Favourite Thunder Snowman
    Report
    Mar 1st 2020, 11:27 AM

    Yes, if it’s popular, I wouldn’t use it.

    1247
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute
    Favourite
    Report
    Mar 1st 2020, 11:35 AM

    @Thunder Snowman: exactly this! I looked at the top 10 list when my kids were born, and ruled them out!

    300
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute NotMyIreland
    Favourite NotMyIreland
    Report
    Mar 1st 2020, 12:16 PM

    Notions!

    33
    See 3 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Wheresmyjumper
    Favourite Wheresmyjumper
    Report
    Mar 1st 2020, 12:36 PM

    @Thunder Snowman: things are popular for a reason,

    9
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Victor Feldman
    Favourite Victor Feldman
    Report
    Mar 1st 2020, 12:58 PM

    @Thunder Snowman: the problem in Ireland with names is that masses of people have the same surnames. Eg hickey.. Kelly.. Murphy etc so by giving out popular names like John.. Jack. Mary
    It makes it near impossible to trace old friends or contacts.. As. There’s billions of john murphys. Sean Brennan.. Parents are loath to be more creative. Such as elvis.. Johan.. Or non saints names..

    20
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Piero Tintori
    Favourite Piero Tintori
    Report
    Mar 1st 2020, 2:09 PM

    @NotMyIreland: now that would be a good original name :)

    7
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Johnny B
    Favourite Johnny B
    Report
    Mar 1st 2020, 11:35 AM

    The more popular the name the less likely I’d pick it. Poor child would end up with loads others in the school having the same name and end up being called by their surname instead of their given name.

    337
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Fiona Fitzgerald
    Favourite Fiona Fitzgerald
    Report
    Mar 1st 2020, 12:19 PM

    Yes, exactly. Also at work. I remember two colleagues having the same first, last and middle name and our manager asking them to pick a way to tell them apart for paging and payroll purposes. It’s awkward enough. In the 80s I got cheques made out to various versions, Fitzpatrick, Fitzsimon, you name it, and had to have them reissued. The more unusual the name, the better.

    54
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Trisha Smith
    Favourite Trisha Smith
    Report
    Mar 1st 2020, 12:39 PM

    @Fiona Fitzgerald: I was the same as this! Ended up calling us by our first name and then the county we were from as our second name!

    34
    See 3 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Barbara Daly Ledwidge
    Favourite Barbara Daly Ledwidge
    Report
    Mar 1st 2020, 1:25 PM

    @Johnny B: Exactly. I was born in 1954, The ‘Marian year’ .. in Tipperary. Practically every girl in my class was called Marian Ryan ha. Thank goodness for my late mother’s independent thinking!

    31
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Marcus Mac An Bhaird
    Favourite Marcus Mac An Bhaird
    Report
    Mar 2nd 2020, 7:45 AM

    @Fiona Fitzgerald: I worked in sales at a company once where there were four Mark,s. When the fourth one came on board he was asked to answer the phone as John. Naturally what followed was hilarious as the poor lad had to adjust to not using a name he’d used all his life.

    3
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Conall
    Favourite Conall
    Report
    Mar 2nd 2020, 8:10 AM

    @Johnny B: Unusual names sentence your child to a lifetime of being asked to spell or repeat their name. I am variously called Colin, Donal, Colm, Connell etc and my name is not that exotic.

    3
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ricky
    Favourite Ricky
    Report
    Mar 1st 2020, 11:49 AM

    Just name your child what you want and stop jumping on the bandwagon. My wife and I are quite happy with our newborn Jorge, pronounced (Horhay)

    221
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Conall
    Favourite Conall
    Report
    Mar 2nd 2020, 8:12 AM

    @Ricky: Lovely name, but if you have to spell a name, and then tell people how to pronounce it, it’s a bit awkward. I suspect he’ll end up being called George by everyone else.

    10
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Matthew Delaney
    Favourite Matthew Delaney
    Report
    Mar 1st 2020, 1:17 PM

    No way I’d let the popularity of a kids name effect my choice. Just ask my son, Adolf.

    111
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Fandandi
    Favourite Fandandi
    Report
    Mar 1st 2020, 12:00 PM

    A lot of people don’t seem to care as they are still naming their kids Jack and there must be about 5 of those in every classroom now.

    72
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Victor Feldman
    Favourite Victor Feldman
    Report
    Mar 1st 2020, 1:13 PM

    @Fandandi: it’s impossible to trace old friends in Ireland because of all the Jack’s. John’s.. Sean’s. Murphys.. Hickeys etc. Its like tracing win wing woos in China.

    25
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute rice water
    Favourite rice water
    Report
    Mar 1st 2020, 11:35 AM

    Yes I don’t want my kids to have basic names like Jack but nothing too over the top like Dymphna either.

    80
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Quiet Goer
    Favourite Quiet Goer
    Report
    Mar 1st 2020, 11:47 AM

    @rice water: Dymphna is hardly over the top. I wonder were there any Assumpthas born this year or any of the names that were common when John Paul II was visiting

    48
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Sean Treacy
    Favourite Sean Treacy
    Report
    Mar 1st 2020, 1:26 PM

    Sure every Tom Dick and Harry is called Jack now !

    70
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Robert O’H
    Favourite Robert O’H
    Report
    Mar 1st 2020, 12:21 PM

    I’d never pick a name for popularity’s sake. I would give my child a name that has meaning

    51
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Eirblath
    Favourite Eirblath
    Report
    Mar 1st 2020, 12:32 PM

    I wanted to call my daughter Emma but was nervous that she would be one of 10 or so girls called Emma in her school. For a while I considered Éabha instead purely because it was less popular. Anyway, I called her Emma and she ended up being the only Emma in the entire school. There was another Éabha in her class though. Just go with the name you like, your child will have it for life.

    48
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Patricia Ellis Dunne
    Favourite Patricia Ellis Dunne
    Report
    Mar 1st 2020, 12:20 PM

    I’d always be inclined towards fairly plain names. I just could never imagine Nevaeh-Lily – Rose being taken very seriously as a presidential candidate, for example

    34
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Tony Hanratty
    Favourite Tony Hanratty
    Report
    Mar 1st 2020, 12:20 PM

    Our twins boy+girl were born in 2014.stayed away from the popular names and tried to pick something totally different and in hunter and raven I think we succeeded.

    22
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Wheresmyjumper
    Favourite Wheresmyjumper
    Report
    Mar 1st 2020, 12:38 PM

    @Tony Hanratty: good luck getting jobs lads

    62
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Leadóg
    Favourite Leadóg
    Report
    Mar 1st 2020, 12:53 PM

    @Tony Hanratty: I think they will be changing them when they hit 18.

    56
    See 1 more reply ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute D McC
    Favourite D McC
    Report
    Mar 1st 2020, 4:10 PM

    @Tony Hanratty: Fan of the 90′s show Gladiators by any chance?

    28
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Lisa Quinn
    Favourite Lisa Quinn
    Report
    Mar 1st 2020, 12:06 PM

    I was weirdly pleased when my boy babys name( born in 2019 ) wasnt in the top 100..no other Harrisons in his class !!!

    26
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute jzT
    Favourite jzT
    Report
    Mar 1st 2020, 12:13 PM

    @Lisa Quinn: there are 2 in my sons creche. Like the name though, almost went for it myself. Dexter’s son was Harrison

    16
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Wheresmyjumper
    Favourite Wheresmyjumper
    Report
    Mar 1st 2020, 12:37 PM

    @Lisa Quinn: there’s a good reason for that

    62
    See 3 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Lisa Quinn
    Favourite Lisa Quinn
    Report
    Mar 3rd 2020, 7:36 PM

    @Wheresmyjumper: ask me tits

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Lisa Quinn
    Favourite Lisa Quinn
    Report
    Mar 3rd 2020, 7:44 PM

    @Wheresmyjumper: also youre slaggin a newborn ye dick

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Lisa Quinn
    Favourite Lisa Quinn
    Report
    Mar 3rd 2020, 7:45 PM

    @jzT: ha no way!!! 2!! That shut me up!! Its after George Harrison!

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Mary Josephine
    Favourite Mary Josephine
    Report
    Mar 1st 2020, 12:48 PM

    I’m teaching 13 years and have one Emily in my class, 11 years ago. Two Jacks in 13 years. Think we have one Jack and one Emily in the school now in a school population of over 400 children

    18
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute
    Favourite
    Report
    Mar 1st 2020, 2:56 PM

    @Mary Josephine: it’s because there’s a bigger variety of names people are choosing from. Even though jack and Emily are the most popular, it’s still less likely they’ll be used than Catherines or Johns were 30 years ago.

    8
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jun Stone
    Favourite Jun Stone
    Report
    Mar 1st 2020, 3:31 PM

    My husband’s name is Kim, he’d have much preferred to be called Jack! Think carefully folks.

    16
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Edel Boyle
    Favourite Edel Boyle
    Report
    Mar 1st 2020, 5:07 PM

    I went with what was popular in 1969 lol my daughter born last Jan was called Mary-Anne after my godmother and my granny ❤️

    15
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Marg FitzGerald
    Favourite Marg FitzGerald
    Report
    Mar 1st 2020, 4:20 PM

    Is there a difference between popular and common?

    13
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Conall
    Favourite Conall
    Report
    Mar 2nd 2020, 8:14 AM

    @Marg FitzGerald: Yes, rain is common in Ireland, but not popular.

    18
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Sinead Mooney
    Favourite Sinead Mooney
    Report
    Mar 1st 2020, 12:04 PM

    I really don’t get if for example Emily is number one for 9 years how you’d add onto that list and have your kid forevermore Emily H. or Emily M. Or whatever in a class full of Emilys! But I’m obviously in the minority! I say this as someone who had 4 or 5 of same name in my class all my life and hated it.

    29
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute NotMyIreland
    Favourite NotMyIreland
    Report
    Mar 1st 2020, 12:20 PM

    @Sinead Mooney: Pick a name you like, nevermind whether it is no.1 or no.99 on the list. Picking a name based on the popularity is silly, yes there may end up been three or four in their class at school, but what does that matter! School is for a few years, a name is for life!

    25
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute The only INFP in Ireland
    Favourite The only INFP in Ireland
    Report
    Mar 1st 2020, 11:38 AM

    Yeh, I wouldn’t use a popular name. Maybe Virginia for a girl

    12
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Mary Fitzsimons
    Favourite Mary Fitzsimons
    Report
    Mar 1st 2020, 11:59 AM

    @The only INFP in Ireland: your daughter will sue you.

    36
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Etherman
    Favourite Etherman
    Report
    Mar 1st 2020, 11:59 AM

    Nope, I’m happy with mine.

    6
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Paul O Faolain
    Favourite Paul O Faolain
    Report
    Mar 1st 2020, 2:30 PM

    I haven’t heard of anyone copying my kids snot and puke name,I wonder why

    8
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.

Leave a commentcancel