Hello from a very chilly New York. I'm your host, Jordan Parker Erb, and I've spent this morning wistfully thinking of simpler times, like a few hours ago when I was still wrapped up in my flannel bedding.
But it's not healthy to dwell on the past, so let's look ahead. Today, we're talking about what the downfall of Twitter could look like — and it's probably not what you think.
Reporting from my colleagues Matt Weinberger and Kali Hays suggests the site probably won't crash and burn in spectacular fashion. Instead, it could just enter a flop era so profound that it simply withers away in the dark corner of the internet, surrounded by similar-fated platforms like MySpace (RIP).
Anyways. We've got more on that below, so let's skedaddle.
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1. The death of Twitter won't be the dramatic explosion you might expect. The chaos that's followed Elon Musk's takeover of the platform has many users already mourning the site's demise. But it's not dead yet, and will likely never fully die. Here's what would happen instead:
- Insiders and experts told Kali Hays that with more users than ever before and drastically fewer employees, a breakdown of the site is possible — even likely — in the near future.
- But that breakdown does not mean Twitter would suddenly go dark. Instead, technical issues are bound to occur, possibly in the form of small issues or glitches building up until the site is effectively broken.
- At that point, unreliability could force users to exit the site in droves, writes Matt Weinberger. Twitter would become irrelevant — lingering, but never fully dying in that final, fiery burst that some users seem to be expecting.
- Put simply, Twitter is more likely to enter its "flop era" than combust entirely.
Why a catastrophic failure at Twitter isn't likely.
In other news:
2. Ousted Disney CEO Bob Chapek will walk away with a decent paycheck. Chapek left the top spot at the company this weekend after less than three years, but he won't be walking away empty handed — he'll likely leave with at least $23.4 million. Plus, we have an inside look at Bob Iger's return to Disney.
3. Amazon's Astro home robot will survive the massive cuts hitting the company. A leaked email shows that while jobs and projects are being slashed across Amazon, the vision for home robotics "remains intact." What we learned from the leaked email.
4. Twitter and Meta staff are flocking to vent on Blind. Some Meta staff have taken to the platform to share that the company's chief technology officer is deterring employees from writing about the company on the site. Everything you'll want to know about the anonymous workplace forum.
5. Facing layoffs? Do these five things to get back on your feet. A software engineer who just went through her fourth layoff said workers should apply for unemployment right after being laid off, and reach out to their networks for support. Read the rest of her advice here.
6. A leaked email shows Twitter employees must send Elon Musk weekly updates of everything they've worked on. The check-ins help Musk assure that Twitter will "innovate rapidly." In other Musk news, the billionaire told Twitter employees that he's done with layoffs for now, and he tweeted Monday that the Twitter Blue relaunch is on hold.
7. This Instagram account is helping laid-off tech workers network and land jobs. As the industry undergoes waves of layoffs, one Meta employee is using her Instagram account to connect unemployed workers with mentors and job leads. Here's how the page works.
8. A TikToker went to the White House with Selena Gomez. Jorge Alvarez started posting videos on TikTok last April, but his growth on the platform allowed him to take his passion to the next level. Recently, he accompanied Gomez to discuss mental-health services with President Joe Biden, and has made $30,200 through brand collaborations and speaking engagements. Here's the exact 2-page media kit he uses to pitch brands.
Odds and ends:
9. These are the best Black Friday laptop deals. Brands like Apple, HP, and Dell will be offering a variety of laptops on sale, and we're keeping tabs on all of the best deals — including how to save up to $500 on the MacBook Pro. See the 13 best deals on laptops.10. We ranked every movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Based on how much money each of them made at the global box office, we ranked all 30 of Marvel's movies. Check out how each film stacks up.
What we're watching today:
- The Women of Silicon Roundabout starts today in London.
- HP, Best Buy, and others are reporting earnings. Keep up with earnings here.
- Apple is facing a UK class-action lawsuit accusing it of concealing poor iPhone performance.
Keep updated with the latest tech news throughout your day by checking out The Refresh from Insider, a dynamic audio news brief from the Insider newsroom. Listen here.
Curated by Jordan Parker Erb in New York. (Feedback or tips? Email jerb@insider.com or tweet @jordanparkererb.) Edited by Hallam Bullock (tweet @hallam_bullock) in London.