Archive: https://archive.is/2025.03.19-050450/https://www.ft.com/content/d4616dec-c4c7-417f-8549-134710bbc5b1

Social media site X’s valuation has soared back to $44bn, underscoring the sharp turnaround in the company’s fortunes since its owner Elon Musk assumed the role of staunch ally to President Donald Trump.

Investors valued the platform at $44bn in a so-called secondary deal earlier this month, in which they exchange existing stakes in the company, according to two people with knowledge of the matter.

X was also working on raising fresh capital in a primary round, which would aim to raise about $2bn through selling new equity and be used to pay off more than $1bn of junior debt that Musk agreed to take on to finance his buyout of the company, then known as Twitter, in 2022, several people briefed on the situation said.

  • GrindingGears@lemmy.ca
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    1 hour ago

    A fool and their money is easily parted. Whoever paid out these kinds of dollars for equity, the rest of the street is lolz at them

  • kbal@fedia.io
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    6 hours ago

    I used to think that the worries about social media algorithms exerting some kind of profound mind control on the users were overstated, but holy fuck, what kind of perverted sci-fi brainwashing power does twitter have that people are still using it even in the year 2025?

    • miskOP
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      5 hours ago

      There’s plethora of content on X like politicians, celebrities, media workers, quips, commentary on quips and commentary on commentary. They’re there because for those who made it that means money and influence. People enable it because they confuse politics with entertainment.

      • kbal@fedia.io
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        5 hours ago

        oh I would quit X, but I’d miss [ politicians / my friends / the latest gossip / the hottest memes / Stephen King ]

        It might’ve seemed to make sense in 2016 but that bullshit doesn’t fly any more. It no longer takes any imagination or courage to see it for what it is. There are no more excuses.

        • flatbield@beehaw.org
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          4 hours ago

          Twitter is for those that want to be followed (aka those that want to be famous), and those that want to follow those people (be part of the hurd of fans). I do not understand it because fit into neither of these groups. However, it seems to be a common human thing. Seems very tribal. Being part of a group, elevating and worshiping some people, and wanting to associate with THE IN people. News media types seem to love twitter.

          • kbal@fedia.io
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            3 hours ago

            Oh yes I did fail to include a full catalogue of all the base instincts it obviously appeals to — but it’s as if people are eating a giant pile of shit for breakfast, and you’re helpfully explaining that well, we all need to eat.

            • flatbield@beehaw.org
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              7 minutes ago

              By in large, people are emotional creatures that sometimes think.

              Reason I say that is that in my small little envelope of life, most people are both a lot more educated and a lot more on the thinking side then is typical. Everyone has issues and blind spots, but mostly people in my circles are pretty fact based. At least for me, it is a good reminder that I should not be surprised by stupid shit from the wider world in terms of what people believe and do.

              A bunch of smart people built the internet, then we let an amalgam of opportunists and very average people use it, what can we expect.

  • overload
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    7 hours ago

    Sounds like someone is in some financial trouble with TSLA dropping.

  • Zier@fedia.io
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    8 hours ago

    Twitter is worth 3 Rubles & 6 sheets of toilet paper. Money laundering is happening.

  • Lemmist@lemm.ee
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    10 hours ago

    I’m not a stock trader so don’t know the terminology. Do I understand correctly that shareholders just say “From now on X would cost $44bn because we say that”

  • mannycalavera@feddit.uk
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    10 hours ago

    What’s the calculation that investors / the stock market is making here? That in time Twitter will become less of a cesspit and that ads can be served? Or is this just YOLO money?

    • miskOP
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      9 hours ago

      They’re trying to put a price tag on ability to influence societies. It does have value but I’m pretty sure everyone is guesstimating.

  • Tempus Fugit@midwest.social
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    10 hours ago

    Interesting, well my evaluation is that it’s worthless, not priceless, worthless. You’d never catch me dead on that shit stain of a platform.

    • ddash@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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      10 hours ago

      It seemed to be quite effective in influencing public opinion before elections. Which makes it even more disgusting to attach such a price tag to it.