Presenting a viable proposal to Twitter @ Twitter HQ
Hi everyone!
Tonight in SF, a group of people who have been super-keen on #platformcoop from a labor justice perspective came up with a way to get real, by hosting an event – at Twitter HQ itself – to float the #BuyTwitter proposal.
Show some love to the organizers at https://twitter.com/daspitzberg/status/786775013642731522 : )
What do people think about
a) putting effort into actually interfacing with Twitter, and,
b) Starting with Monday's push, channeling interest in #BuyTwitter towards a real-life event?
john gieryn
Fri 21 Oct 2016 3:18AM
Chances for people to meet in person and online are important for building trust and discovering leadership
Chris Cook
Fri 21 Oct 2016 6:25AM
Good idea
Chris Cook Fri 21 Oct 2016 6:30AM
Creating a Platform Co-op between Twitter staff/management Co-op to partner with Twitter User Co-op can't be done conventionally & hopefully the speakers will reflect this.
Tom McDonough Sat 22 Oct 2016 6:44PM
Here's what I expect to result from a meeting with Twitter (or even a request for a meeting with Twitter):
1. As a Twitter user, I'm happy to join a user-owned cooperative.
2. As a Twitter shareholder, I'm happy to vote for your proposal if it's competitive.
3. As a human being, I'm happy to get full market value for my shares at closing. What's your proposal for raising $12 billion?
Besides, quite a few of the shareholders are pension and mutual funds. They have a legal obligation to protect their investors. The only acceptable exit for them is market value at closing.
Chris Cook Sun 23 Oct 2016 11:04AM
1/ The endgame will be a Twitter 2.0 - a Platform Co-operative co-owned by staff/management AND users with investment by risk averse utility/infratsructure investors looking for ANY positive real return.
2/ We won't purchase your Twitter 1.0 shares which on the current strategy are going nowhere but down: we will maximise your return by developing your asset in partnership with staff & management.
3/ Utility investors who do not wish take transition/development risk will then enter to fund your optimal exit from transformed Twitter 2.0 should you seek higher than the utility returns which suffice for them.
4/ If you have an obligation to protect your investors you will wish to listen to a proposal which gives them an optimal return ON capital and an optimal return OF capital.
Alvaro Solache Sun 23 Oct 2016 10:21AM
Greate let's talk in person
Thomas Euler Tue 25 Oct 2016 7:21AM
@dannyspitzberg Any updates on that front? I think it would make a lot of sense to get a dialogue going with the people at & management of Twitter as soon as possible.
Danny Spitzberg Thu 27 Oct 2016 12:00AM
Hi all! Here's an update on this thread: @mairasutton and I are meeting with a couple other individuals tonight to talk shop about next steps. Additionally, @paigepanter and the Tech Workers Coalition have an event on Nov 1 where I might be able to share an update and make a call to action around the petition and larger organizing effort. As for the event at/with Twitter folks, stay tuned – I am meeting their former head of product this Saturday, and welcome any other recommendations for people to contact!
Thomas Euler Thu 27 Oct 2016 10:57AM
@dannyspitzberg I think it would be great to get in touch with Ev Williams and/or Jack Dorsey. If you could open such a door it would be awesome :)
john gieryn · Fri 21 Oct 2016 3:19AM
Would be interesting to see if any of Twitter's live-stream plug-in-companies (ie Periscope, Meerkat) would be keen to do tech support or something special for such an endeavor