Elon Musk and Twitter's toxic relationship goes back a long way. The billionaire has been very vocal about Twitter not adhering to the "principle of free speech". Earlier this month, he shared a poll on the site asking users if he should introduce a social media platform where people would speak their minds without fear of facing legal actions. That's when users suggested Musk should buy Twitter. Musk probably took the suggestion way too seriously and has been making small moves to be the owner of Twitter since then. Speaking at the TED 2022 conference in Vancouver, the Tesla CEO yesterday said he was trying to buy Twitter as "not a way to make money". "This is not a way to sort of make money. My strong intuitive sense is that having a public platform that is maximally trusted and broadly inclusive is extremely important," he said. A lot has been happening between Musk and Twitter since the billionaire purchased a 9.2 per cent stake in the company last week. Until now, Musk was the largest shareholder of the company but no more. As per the most recent publicly available filings with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (US SEC), c firm called Vanguard now owns 82.4 million shares of Twitter, which is 10.3 per cent stake. Let's take a quick look at the timeline of events and how Musk decided to buy 100 per cent of Twitter.

Elon Musk vs Twitter: A timeline

-- It all started when Musk pitched the idea of launching a social media app because Twitter (in his opinion) doesn't adhere to the basic principle of free speech. -- He tweeted a poll asking Twitter users if he should introduce a social media plan. As per the comments on that particular tweet and poll result, some people liked the idea, but the majority suggested he should buy Twitter instead. -- In the same week, Musk purchased 9.2 per cent stake in Twitter. This made him the biggest shareholder in Twitter. Briefly. Just today the news comes that a firm called Vanguard now owns 82.4 million shares of Twitter, which is 10.3 per cent of the firm. -- A day or two after Musk made revealed his hand, CEO Parag Agrawal welcomed Musk to the board and said that he would bring "great value" to the company. Musk also said that he planned to bring "significant improvements to Twitter in coming months". -- However, things probably didn't work out and Musk decided to not join the board. In its statement, Twitter highlighted phrase "background check". The company CEO, though, said that they will "remain open to his inputs" since Musk is the biggest shareholder in the company. Musk, as usual, joked about the entire mess up.
-- And now Musk has made an offer to buy 100 per cent stake at Twitter for 43 billion, which is $54.20 per share, all in cash. He stated in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission that Twitter has "extraordinary potential" and he wants to unlock it. "My offer is my best and final offer and if it is not accepted, I would need to reconsider my position as a shareholder," he added. -- Twitter has said that Board of Directors are carefully reviewing the proposal "to determine the course of action that it believes is in the best interest of the Company and all Twitter stockholders". -- The company CEO has also told employees Twitter is reviewing Musk's offer to take it private. "The board would follow a "rigorous process" and make a decision "in the best interest of our shareholders," he said. -- Musk, meanwhile, is claiming that he has Plan B if Twitter doesn't accept the offer. Speaking at the TED event, Musk said he has Plan B if Twitter rejects his offer. He didn't reveal any details about his next move. Twitter is currently evaluating Musk's offer and is likely to announce its decision in the days to come. It will be interesting to see if Twitter gives Musk full ownership of the company or declines the offer. But, even Musk doesn't seem to give up on the deal any time soon. (Source: India Today)