The bright and flashing “X” that adorned Twitter’s San Francisco headquarters is no more, marking the end of a short-lived era for the rebranded social media platform.
The sign, a symbolic representation of Elon Musk’s transformation of Twitter, was taken down on Monday morning following a series of complaints from nearby residents. City officials also issued a notice of violation, stating that the sign had been installed without the proper permit.
The controversy surrounding the sign escalated when a city inspector attempted to inspect the structure but was denied access by a company representative who claimed it was a “temporary lighted sign for an event.” The inspector insisted on its removal, but subsequent attempts to gain access were also thwarted.
Over the weekend, the Department of Building Inspection received numerous complaints about the sign, with residents expressing concerns about its safety and the intense brightness of the light it emitted.
Elon Musk, the CEO of Twitter’s parent company, did not respond directly to the situation but replied to a social media post about the city’s actions with a laughing/crying emoji.
This latest sign saga is just one of the attention-grabbing moves made by Musk since his acquisition of Twitter for a staggering $44 billion last year. The company’s logo recently started transitioning to a single “X,” signaling a shift away from its iconic bird emblem. However, the sign’s installation and subsequent removal have drawn mixed reactions and controversy.
The X logo was initially projected onto the side of Twitter’s headquarters on Market Street on July 23, and the following day, as it appeared on the site’s desktop version, workers attempting to remove the vertical Twitter sign were reportedly stopped by the police due to safety concerns.
Overall, the sign’s short-lived presence has sparked debate and brought further attention to the social media platform under Elon Musk’s leadership.
