On October 28, 2022, Elon Musk acquired Twitter, an unprofitable company, for a staggering USD 44 million. Now, it appears he is making every desperate attempt to recoup his losses. His controversial plan of action includes massive layoffs, imposing harsh dictums on employees that enforce 12-hour workdays without rest, and attempting to monetize the ‘highly coveted’ blue verification tick at USD 8 per month (approximately Rs 650 per month).
While Musk’s second move to charge for the blue tick was scrapped due to an overwhelming storm of fake accounts obtaining the ‘Verified’ badge, industry experts believe that Musk’s aggressive maneuvers may leave the social media giant in a precarious position.
As of January 2022, Twitter boasts about 23.6 million users in India, according to Statista. However, India reportedly contributes only a small percentage to Twitter’s global revenue. The registered entity of Twitter in India recorded Rs 86.39 crore as revenue in FY21, representing a mere 0.23 percent of the global revenue. Despite an 82 percent revenue jump in FY22 to Rs 156.75 crore, the India entity still posted a net loss of Rs 31.84 crore for FY22.
Amid the chaos surrounding Twitter and its new owner Musk, who frequently makes headlines, we had an insightful conversation with Naina Redhu, arguably the first Twitter user in India. Naina opened up about her 16-year-long journey on Twitter and her thoughts on the major revamps Elon Musk aims to introduce to the platform.
**Inception to Twitter:**
Naina Redhu signed up for Twitter in 2006 when the platform was still called TWTTR. She was employed in Mumbai and deeply intrigued by the burgeoning internet and blogging culture. “I started my first blog in 2004, so I was quite involved with the developments online,” she recalls.
**Early Experience:**
Naina vividly remembers her initial experiences on Twitter. “I was curious and noticed that there were just a handful of people, mostly from Palo Alto, California, interacting as if they already knew each other. I wanted to find someone in Mumbai to connect with, but there was no one. Initially, it seemed like Twitter was exclusive to a US audience.”
**Becoming the First User:**
It was later, through an article entitled ‘The first 140 people to sign up to Twitter’, that she discovered she might be the first user from India. “I wrote a blog post titled ‘Am I the first Indian Twitter user?’ and received a lot of responses confirming it,” she said.
**Significant Changes from 2006 to 2022:**
One of the most notable transformations on Twitter has been the increase in character limit from 140 to 280. “This change, in my opinion, took away some of Twitter’s essence,” Naina opined, noting, “With 140 characters, I had to be creative in compressing my thoughts. The 280-character limit and introduction of threads have turned tweets into mini-blogs.
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She nostalgically remembers the ‘Fail Whale’, a blue whale image that appeared when Twitter crashed. “Although it’s good that Twitter is now stable, the Fail Whale was a quirky part of the platform’s identity.”
Naina also remarked on the lost sense of community: “In the earlier days, we had ‘Tweet-Ups’ where users met in person. Now, the platform is more politically charged and controversial, which isn’t necessarily bad, but the personal, smaller-community feel is definitely missed.”
**Musk’s Vision & User Reactions:**
After Musk’s takeover, Naina expressed uncertainty about the proposed subscription fee for the verification badge. “There were screenshots showing two badges: the blue tick and an ‘Official’ tag. It’s unclear what Twitter plans for the blue tick,” she noted.
Although Musk suggested that the USD 8 fee would initially be part of Twitter Blue with benefits like fewer ads, Naina questioned its value: “Why pay to see fewer ads? If I’m paying, I want no ads. Currently, I don’t use Twitter as much to justify this cost.”
Reflecting on Musk’s approach, she added, “Elon Musk is polarizing. Some people love him, some hate him, but I think he is trying to innovate. Where it will go, nobody knows.”
**The Edit Button:**
The long-awaited edit button, part of Twitter Blue, also saw uncertainty with Musk’s arrival. Naina remarked, “I’ve managed without an edit button for 16 years. I’m not going to start paying for it now.”
**Subscription Feasibility:**
Questioned about the potential success of the USD 8 subscription plan in India, Naina was skeptical. “I wouldn’t subscribe. The value added by the blue tick is negligible for me. Others might feel the same, especially when comparing it to value-added services like Netflix.”
**Impact on Other Platforms:**
Regarding if Twitter’s move might prompt other platforms to adopt subscription plans, Naina was doubtful. “Instagram, for instance, already integrates ads seamlessly with its algorithm, adding value to ads themselves, unlike Twitter.”
**Competitors and Migration:**
Finally, talking about alternatives like Koo or Mastodon, Naina firmly believed Twitter’s strong foothold makes it irreplaceable. “Despite new platforms emerging, Twitter’s unique value and large user base make it indispensable. Mass migration seems unlikely unless Musk makes catastrophic errors.”
**Future of Twitter:**
In conclusion, Naina remains cautiously optimistic yet curious about Twitter’s future under Musk. “Everyone is talking about Twitter more than ever now. I’m eager to see where Musk steers this platform.”
Watch the full interview here: **[Link]**
