Elon Musk to buy Twitter for $44 billion

Twitter shareholders to vote on sale in early August

Merger could close by end of year

Twitter shareholders will vote on Elon Musk's $44 billion takeover offer in early August, the company announced on Friday. If approved, the merger could close by the end of the year.

Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has been a vocal critic of Twitter's content moderation policies. He has said that he wants to make the platform more free speech-friendly.

Twitter's board of directors has recommended that shareholders vote in favor of the deal. The company said in a statement that the merger "will create a new global platform dedicated to free speech and innovation."

However, some shareholders have expressed concerns about Musk's plans for Twitter. They worry that he will loosen the platform's content moderation policies, which could lead to an increase in hate speech and misinformation.

Musk has said that he does not want to turn Twitter into a "free-for-all," but he has not provided many details about his plans for the platform. He has said that he wants to allow more free speech on Twitter, but he has also said that he wants to crack down on spam and bots.

The merger between Twitter and Musk is still subject to regulatory approval. The deal is expected to close by the end of the year, but it could be delayed if regulators raise concerns.

The acquisition of Twitter by Elon Musk is a major development in the social media landscape. It is still unclear how Musk's plans for the platform will affect Twitter's users and the broader public.