Musk doesn’t seek a “free-for-all hellscape” for Twitter

By MATT O’BRIEN and TOM KRISHER
AP Technology Writers

Elon Musk is telling Twitter advertisers he is buying the platform to “help humanity” and doesn’t want it to become a “free-for-all hellscape” where anything can be said with no consequences. The message to advertisers posted Thursday on Twitter came a day before Musk’s deadline for closing his $44 billion deal to buy the social-media company and take it private. He said in the post that he’s buying the company because “it is important to the future of civilization to have a common digital town square.” The message reflects concerns among advertisers that Musk’s plans for Twitter could render it more toxic and less welcoming for ads.