Twitter has recently undergone a major rebranding as 'X', which resulted in the company taking over the @x handle on the platform. The original owner of the handle, Gene X Hwang, who runs a corporate photography and videography studio called Orange Photography, confirmed that Twitter had taken over the account without prior notice or compensation.
Reportedly, the platform offered Hwang a selection of X merchandise and invited him to visit X's headquarters as a gesture of appreciation.
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In a letter, the company thanked Hwang for his loyalty, offered him a selection of X merchandise, and also extended an invitation to visit X's headquarters, as a "reflection of our appreciation".
Hwang was surprised that Twitter had not contacted him about taking over the @x handle, which he had previously owned and had set to private. However, he expressed openness to a conversation with the company if they desired the handle for themselves.
Twitter informed Hwang that the @x account is now connected to X Corp., and he will be given a new handle. All of his data, including followers and following data, will be transferred to his new account.
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Elon Musk, CEO of X Corp., had hinted at the rebranding on Sunday through a series of tweets, suggesting that Twitter would bid adieu to its current brand and move towards the new identity. Musk clarified that Twitter's acquisition by X Corp. is aimed at ensuring freedom of speech and serving as an accelerant for X, the everything app.
According to Musk, the name 'Twitter' made sense in the past when the platform primarily consisted of 140-character messages going back and forth, similar to birds tweeting. However, as Twitter evolved, allowing users to post almost anything, including lengthy videos, the rebranding to 'X' reflects the platform's broader capabilities.
Inputs from IANS
