A phone screen displays Elon Musk’s Twitter account.
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- Twitter will reportedly allow Elon Musk to access its “firehose” of proprietary data.
- The Washington Post reported that Musk could receive access to internal data as early as this week.
- It’s just the latest turn in Musk’s chaotic proposed takeover of Twitter.
Twitter is giving in to Elon Musk’s request for access to its” firehose” of internal data, according to a report from the Washington Post.
A weekslong battle over the proprietary data stream has slowed down Musk’s proposed takeover of the social-media platform. Musk’s proposal to buy and privatize Twitter has been plagued with strife and chaos from the jump. Musk has noted that he can walk away from the purchase, which has recently thrown off his efforts to finance the bid.
Previously, Musk attorney Mike Ringler wrote that Twitter was “thwarting” requests for data about fake accounts and spammers. Meanwhile, some observers have accused Musk of attempting to use the issue of fake accounts to “weasel out” of the deal with Twitter.
A person familiar with the company’s thinking told the Post that the information could be provided as early as this week, meaning that conflict could come to a close, now that Twitter has acquiesced to Musk’s demands.
Musk initially waived his right to review Twitter’s finances before buying the company. However, the billionaire’s purchase agreement does hold that if he can prove that Twitter misled him, he can walk away from the deal.
Twitter released a statement on Monday which said: “Twitter has and will continue to cooperatively share information with Mr. Musk to consummate the transaction in accordance with the terms of the merger agreement.”
“We believe this agreement is in the best interest of all shareholders. We intend to close the transaction and enforce the merger agreement at the agreed price and terms,” the statement reads.
Insider reached out to Twitter for further comment.
Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal said in May that Musk’s method for calculating bot accounts wouldn’t work, noting that such an analysis would require private information that Twitter can’t share.
Meanwhile, Musk is taking a jab at YouTube, calling the site out for “nonstop scam ads.” He posted a meme on Twitter Tuesday mocking YouTube and claiming it censors things like swearing but turns a blind eye to scam ads.
