X (formerly known as Twitter) is an American online social media and microblogging platform owned by Elon Musk through his holding company X Corp. Originally launched as Twitter in 2006, the service allows users to post and interact with messages known as "posts" or formerly "tweets." The platform supports text, images, videos, audio, live streams, and community-based content.
In October 2022, billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk acquired Twitter, Inc. for approximately $44 billion. In April 2023, the platform's legal and corporate structure was changed to a new entity named X Corp. Later, in July 2023, the service was officially rebranded from Twitter to X, reflecting Musk’s long-term vision of transforming the platform into an “everything app,” akin to China’s WeChat.
History
Twitter was founded in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey, Noah Glass, Biz Stone, and Evan Williams and launched in July of that year. It quickly gained popularity worldwide and became one of the most visited websites globally. It played a significant role in movements such as the Arab Spring and was widely used for news, politics, and entertainment.
Following years of growth, internal controversies, and public debates over content moderation, Twitter was acquired by Elon Musk in 2022. He immediately made sweeping changes including mass layoffs, subscription-based verification, and changes to moderation policies.
Rebranding to X
In July 2023, Twitter’s name and logo were officially changed to X. The rebranding was part of Elon Musk’s plan to create a super-app that offers banking, messaging, video, and shopping features in addition to social networking.
Features
- **Posts**: Formerly known as tweets; now referred to as posts.
- **Spaces**: Live audio conversations.
- **Communities**: Groups based on shared interests.
- **Premium (formerly Twitter Blue)**: Subscription service offering features like longer posts, monetization, and fewer ads.
- **Monetization**: Allows creators to earn through ad revenue sharing and subscriptions.
Criticism and Controversies
Since the acquisition and rebranding, X has faced criticism over content moderation policies, algorithmic transparency, the rise of misinformation, and the platform's openness to controversial figures. The reduction in staff and moderation has led to debate over platform safety and reliability.