X CEO Linda Yaccarino’s disastrous interview everything you need to know
X CEO Linda Yaccarino's disastrous interview everything you need to know
Linda Yaccarino’s Rollercoaster Interview at Code 2023
Linda Yaccarino, the CEO of social media platform X, was recently in the hot seat as the headline guest at Vox Media’s Code 2023 event. The interview, conducted by CNBC’s Julia Boorstin, didn’t quite go as planned for Yaccarino. Let’s dive into some of the highlights and lowlights of this memorable tech conference.
The Daily Active Users Decline
One of the most significant revelations from Yaccarino’s interview was the declining number of daily active users on X. Initially providing a count of 225 million, X later revised this number to 245 million. However, both figures signify a drop in the platform’s daily active users compared to before Elon Musk took over as CEO in November 2022. At that time, Twitter had 254.5 million daily active users, which had grown to 259.4 million by mid-November. It’s evident that X has lost millions of users since Musk’s acquisition, warranting a closer look at the strategies in place to regain their momentum.
The Unexpected Appearance of Yoel Roth
One of the most talked-about moments of Yaccarino’s interview was her handling of the last-minute addition to the event program, Yoel Roth. As the former head of Twitter Trust and Safety, Roth was responsible for handling user safety and moderation-related issues. Notably, he fled his home after Musk publicly attacked him on the platform. Yaccarino was aware of Roth’s addition to the event, yet she struggled to discuss his interview confidently. When Yaccarino claimed that some of the hate Roth received was off the Twitter platform, it was clear that the bulk of it originated on the app itself, thanks to Musk’s tweets targeting Roth. This puzzling exchange left many scratching their heads.
The Missing X App
Perhaps the most viral moment of the interview came when Yaccarino held up her mobile device, promoting X as the go-to platform for real-time conversations around events. However, it didn’t go unnoticed that the X app was missing from her smartphone’s home screen. Instead, apps for Facebook, Instagram, and Signal were prominently displayed. This observation added another layer of irony to the discussion, highlighting the need for consistent messaging and actions from X’s CEO.
Conflicting Claims on Advertising Return
Another point of contention arose regarding Yaccarino’s claims of advertisers returning to X. According to her, 90 percent of the top 100 advertisers have come back to the platform, including well-known brands like AT&T, Visa, and Nissan. However, these claims contradict Musk’s recent statement blaming the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) for X’s U.S. advertising revenue decline of 60 percent. The New York Times reported that half of Twitter’s biggest advertisers pulled their campaigns shortly after Musk’s acquisition, with advertising still down 59 percent year-over-year in the spring. Musk’s remarks suggested negative cash flow due to a drop in advertising revenue and a hefty debt load. The conflicting narratives around advertising raise questions about X’s current financial standing and the path to profitability.
Yaccarino’s Defense of Musk and Her Role at X
Perhaps the most contentious part of the interview was Boorstin’s questioning of Yaccarino regarding her role at X. While Musk handpicked Yaccarino as the CEO, he still leads departments like product, typically overseen by the company’s CEO. This dynamic of Yaccarino appearing blindsided by Musk’s decisions, such as the sudden renaming of Twitter to X, begs the question of her level of authority within the company. Yaccarino’s response defending Musk and stating that she would want him by her side only elicited laughter and raised eyebrows from the audience. Her defense of Musk’s feud with the ADL, despite the ADL’s longstanding mission encompassing civil rights for Jewish people and other minority groups, further underscored the complexities of her position at X.
Linda Yaccarino’s interview at Code 2023 was marked by moments of confusion, contradiction, and amusement. From discussing declining daily active users to navigating unexpected additions to the event program, Yaccarino faced numerous challenges. The missing X app and conflicting claims regarding the return of advertisers added further fuel to the controversy surrounding X’s future. As the dust settles, it remains to be seen how Yaccarino and the rest of the X team will address these issues and steer the platform under the leadership of Elon Musk.
*[ADL]: Anti-Defamation League
