Behind Meta's Launch of Twitter Rival Threads Lies Years-Long Private Feud Between Musk and Zuckerberg
Original Article by: Tim Higgins, Deepa Seetharaman, The Wall Street Journal
Original Article Translation by: Jaleel, BlockBeats
Editor's Note: On July 4, Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook, plans to release a microblogging app called Threads, with the new product expected to debut on Thursday. The company is expected to leverage its Instagram user base for this microblogging app, a move that could help the app quickly gain attention. Earlier reports indicated that Twitter, led by Musk, announced over the weekend a limit on how often users could read tweets, sparking outrage among users. Just a few days later, Zuckerberg launched the highly targeted competitor Threads. To many industry observers, Zuckerberg's seemingly opportunistic move is the latest sign of the long-standing rivalry between him and Musk.
This article was written by The Wall Street Journal on June 23, and the following is the original translation by BlockBeats:
Merely in terms of billionaire-on-billionaire disputes, the challenge issued between Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg is also noteworthy.
Their years-long strained relationship intensified last year when Musk acquired Twitter. Since then, Zuckerberg has found an opportunity to go after his competitor Twitter, as it has been plagued by dramatic controversies and missteps under the new owner, Musk. Zuckerberg's latest strike comes from his Meta Platforms company, preparing to make a Twitter-like product based on Instagram.
While these two tycoons may never truly face off in the arena, the latest flare-up between them and the speculation of whether they will duel strengthen their growing business rivalry, injecting new vigor into the battle for social media ad revenue.
Whether Meta's competition with Twitter can compare to epic brand battles of the past century—like Ford versus Chevrolet or Coca-Cola versus Pepsi—is still early to say. But evidently, both bosses are gearing up for a fight.
Behind the scenes, these two have harbored deep-seated resentments, occasionally taking public swipes at each other over AI and other topics.
According to those who have heard their private gripes, Musk has long felt financially constrained, watching as Zuckerberg effortlessly monetized software while he toiled away on electric cars and space rockets, leaving him feeling disheartened. On the other hand, Zuckerberg has yearned for the kind of reverence people have for Musk as an innovator.
This month, Meta executives revealed to employees their Twitter competitor, internally dubbed "Project 92," which they hope to launch soon. Chief Product Officer Chris Cox suggested the product was inspired by users who wanted a more "operationally sane" social media platform, in a jab at Musk's company, as reported by The Wall Street Journal.
Since taking over Twitter at the end of October last year, Musk has faced numerous challenges in reshaping the company to his liking, including some brands cutting back on ad spending due in part to their concerns about the company's future. In response, Musk has said significant cost-cutting, including layoffs, is necessary to avoid bankruptcy. Now, he says the company is on track to achieve positive cash flow and has hired a prominent TV ad executive as CEO to improve relations with advertisers.
In response to reports of Zuckerberg's plans to compete with Twitter, Musk has been taunting and needling him online. This week, a Twitter user warned Musk, pointing out Zuckerberg's recent pursuit of martial arts promotion.
"I can do a cage fight if he wants," Musk tweeted on Tuesday night. Zuckerberg, who has been training in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, responded on Instagram the next day: "Tell me a place."
Musk followed up with another tweet: "If it's for real, I'm in." He suggested they hold the match in Las Vegas.
Throughout the night, Musk tweeted about the possibility of their duel, even mentioning Zuckerberg's peak physical condition. A photo from last year showing Musk with a fuller figure, shirtless in water, resurfaced on Twitter, sparking discussions once again.
"I have a move I call 'the walrus,' where I just lay on my opponent and do nothing," Musk tweeted.
This proposed showdown harkens back to the early 1990s when Southwest Airlines co-founder Herb Kelleher settled a business dispute in front of a live audience at the Dallas Sportatorium through an arm-wrestling match, an event famously known as the "Malice in Dallas." However, according to Southwest Airlines' website, the outcome was prearranged.
The public animosity between these two tech titans can be traced back to 2016 when Facebook commissioned Musk's rocket company, SpaceX, to launch a satellite into space to provide internet access to the sub-Saharan African region. However, a routine test launch ended in a ground explosion, destroying both the rocket and the satellite, disrupting Zuckerberg's plans.
"I am deeply disappointed by the SpaceX launch failure and the resulting destruction of our satellite. Our satellite was meant to provide connectivity to many entrepreneurs across the African continent and everyone else." Zuckerberg wrote.
A year later, they clashed publicly again over Artificial Intelligence (AI), with Musk consistently warning about the potential threat AI poses to humanity. Zuckerberg, during a barbecue at his home, conducted a Facebook Live where he, when asked about the issue, expressed optimism about AI, believing those doomsaying are creating doomsday scenarios, which are very negative and irresponsible. In response, Musk fired back on Twitter: "I've talked to Mark Zuckerberg about this. His understanding of the subject is limited."
In 2018, facing Meta's user privacy controversy from the 2016 presidential election and subsequent Delete Facebook movement, Musk shared his views on Twitter. Both of his companies, Tesla and SpaceX, deleted their Facebook accounts. "Delete Facebook, it's lame," Musk publicly tweeted.
Their discord doesn't stop there, as both have a history of engaging in heated exchanges with others.
Musk has a history of public squabbles, often taunting other billionaires through his Twitter account, including Jeff Bezos, Bill Gates, and Warren Buffett, among others. However, he has never proposed a physical fight with any of them. Yet, last year, following the outbreak of the Ukraine war, he did suggest a one-on-one with Russia's Vladimir Putin, challenging the Russian president to a "single combat" on Twitter.
This showdown never materialized.
Meta's CEO Mark Zuckerberg has had a long-standing private feud with Apple's CEO Tim Cook following Cook's public criticism of Facebook. Since then, Facebook has been resistant to Apple's privacy changes, which have limited social media companies' ability to profit from user data. "We need to inflict pain," Zuckerberg has privately expressed to his team regarding the determination to resist Apple.
Musk has also expressed dissatisfaction with Apple's strict policies on the App Store, which are crucial for the growth of Twitter that he took over. Shortly after taking over Twitter, Musk openly criticized Apple's high fees for in-app purchases through the App Store.
Cook seems to be trying to defuse this tension as he hosted Musk at Apple's headquarters and took him for a walk around the company's pond.
Users on social media have shown a keen interest in the possibility of a showdown between these two tech titans. A Twitter user even suggested that podcast host and UFC commentator Joe Rogan should act as a referee. Musk responded to this with a flame emoji.
In fact, both billionaires have had interactions with Rogan. Last year, Zuckerberg discussed the similarities between business and mixed martial arts on Rogan's podcast. "Jiu-jitsu, mixed martial arts, teach you to understand the flow of things and momentum, and I think business is the same way," he said. "The hardest part is knowing when to persist." He also boasted about his extreme physical fitness regimen during the holidays and his participation in his first jiu-jitsu competition.
Musk, on the other hand, leans towards a sedentary lifestyle. He views fasting and diet pills as weight loss tools and openly admits his love for donuts and diet soda. The billionaire behind electric cars and space rockets was captured indulging in prohibited substances on Rogan's podcast.
Musk's approach to exercise is quite amusing. "I hardly ever exercise, except to pick up my kids and throw them in the air," he wrote in a tweet on Wednesday. In fact, Musk also has a history of a failed hand-to-hand combat where he experienced neck and back pain after a match with a sumo wrestler.
Amid the hype surrounding a possible showdown between him and Zuckerberg, Musk's mother Maye has called for both to calm down. "Not joking," she wrote in a tweet on Thursday. "You can only sit in armchairs, maintain a 4-foot distance, and battle with words. The most entertaining person wins."
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