Tech billionaire Elon Musk will not join the board of social media platform Twitter, according to the company’s CEO, Parag Agrawal.

The decision comes after an announcement last week that Musk would join the board, pending a background check and formal approval.

“The board and I had many discussions about Elon joining the board, and with Elon directly,” Agrawal said in a company statement.

“Elon’s appointment to the board was to become officially effective 4/9, but Elon shared the same morning that he will no longer be joining the board. I believe this is for the best.

“We have and will always value input from our shareholders whether they are on the board or not. Elon is our biggest shareholder and we will remain open to his input.”

Recommended

• DIGIT Movers and Shakers | March 2022
• Whistleblower launches privacy complaint against Apple
• Scottish technology specialists incovo acquires RGB Solutions

Musk, currently the world’s richest person, previously bought a 9.2% stake in Twitter, a move that cost around $2.89 billion. Not only did this make him the single largest stakeholder in the social media giant, it’s more than four times the stake held by the company’s Co-founder, Jack Dorsey, who holds 2.25%.

The move came on the back of a late-March poll where Musk questioned whether Twitter was committed to free speech.

“The consequences of this poll will be important. Please vote carefully,” he added in a subsequent Tweet.

Free speech is essential to a functioning democracy.

Do you believe Twitter rigorously adheres to this principle?

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 25, 2022

Elon Musk made a series of posts in which he laid out his vision for Twitter ahead of him taking his predicted seat on the board. The company’s content moderation policies were a major point, along with technical changes, such as adding an edit button.

He also raised concerns about Twitter’s declining use by major celebrity users, such as Taylor Swift and Justin Beiber.

He even floated the idea of turning Twitter’s San Francisco headquarters into a homeless shelter.

Get the latest news from DIGIT direct to your inbox

Our newsletter covers the latest technology and IT news from Scotland and beyond, as well as in-depth features and exclusive interviews with leading figures and rising stars.

To subscribe, click here.