TWITTER sacked half of its 7,500-strong staff on Friday as new owner Elon Musk launched his major overhaul of the troubled company just a week after his blockbuster takeover.
An internal document seen by AFP said “roughly 50 percent” of employees were impacted and would be denied access to company computers and email on an immediate basis.
Workers around the world were shown the door and took to Twitter to vent their frustration or disbelief and say goodbye to one of Silicon Valley’s most iconic companies.
“Woke up to the news that my time working at Twitter has come to an end. I am heartbroken. I am in denial,” said Michele Austin, Twitter’s director of public policy for the US and Canada.
Ahead of the layoffs, Twitter closed access to its offices worldwide, asking employees to stay at home to await news of their fate through an email.
“It’s a pretty inhumane way to treat people. It seems like a mercenary effort, they’re trying to save money at all cost,” said one dismissed employee who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
Meanwhile founder and former CEO, has launched a new social media platform, ‘Bluesky’.
The new app, which is in its testing stage, already has over 30,000 people signed up for its beta testing within two days of the announcement.
According to Business Insider, Bluesky’s website stated that the new platform gives creators independence from platforms and developers and the freedom to design, allowing users to choose their experience.
Dorsey co-founded Twitter 17 years ago and briefly served as its CEO, and returned as CEO from 2015 to 2021 when he resigned.
