Hatching Twitter

1. Twitter's origins: From status updates to global communication platform

"It can be whatever you want it to be," he had written on his blog a few days earlier. "The fact that I could find out what my friends were doing at any moment of the day made me feel closer to them and, quite honestly, a little less alone."

From side project to global phenomenon. Twitter began as an experiment at Odeo, a failing podcasting company. Jack Dorsey's idea of status updates merged with Noah Glass's vision of connecting people who felt alone. The concept evolved from "What are you doing?" to "What's happening?" as users adapted the platform for sharing news and events.

Key milestones in Twitter's early days:

• March 2006: Jack Dorsey sends the first tweet: "just setting up my twttr"
• 2007: Twitter becomes a standalone company
• 2009: Rapid growth following celebrity adoption and global events coverage

The platform's simplicity and versatility allowed it to become a powerful tool for communication, news dissemination, and social movements, far beyond its creators' initial vision.

2. The power struggle between Twitter's co-founders shaped the company

"I believe Jack would take a 'passive' chairman role," Bijan wrote. "It would then really be up to Ev to decide if he could live with Jack's new title."

A tale of conflicting visions. The relationships between Jack Dorsey, Ev Williams, Noah Glass, and Biz Stone were complex and often tumultuous. Their differing views on Twitter's purpose and direction led to power struggles that shaped the company's trajectory.

Key conflicts and transitions:

• 2008: Ev Williams replaces Jack Dorsey as CEO
• 2010: Dick Costolo becomes CEO, with Ev Williams stepping down
• 2011: Jack Dorsey returns to Twitter in an executive role

These leadership changes reflected broader debates about Twitter's identity: Was it primarily a status update service, as Jack envisioned, or a news and information platform, as Ev believed? The tension between these perspectives continued to influence Twitter's development and strategic decisions.

3. Twitter's rapid growth brought technical challenges and leadership conflicts

"Twitter was originally conceived as a mobile status update service—an easy way to keep in touch with people in your life by sending and receiving short, frequent answers to one question, 'What are you doing?'"

Scaling pains and identity crisis. As Twitter's user base exploded, the company faced significant technical challenges. The platform frequently crashed, leading to the infamous "Fail Whale" error message. These issues coincided with internal debates about Twitter's direction and purpose.

Growth challenges:

• Server capacity issues and frequent outages
• Difficulty in monetizing the platform
• Competing visions for the company's future

The rapid growth also exposed weaknesses in leadership and decision-making processes. Jack Dorsey's inexperience as CEO and Ev Williams' indecisiveness created an environment ripe for conflict and intervention by the board of directors.

4. Jack Dorsey's ousting and reinvention as a Steve Jobs-like figure

"I consider the vice president to be the equivalent to the CEO, and if you've spoken to Ev and it's not going anywhere, you need to go to the board," Jack told Abbott. "Talk to Fenton, talk to Bijan, to Fred—whoever—about your concerns. Talk to the other senior execs."

From exile to comeback. After being ousted as CEO in 2008, Jack Dorsey embarked on a carefully orchestrated reinvention. He founded Square and cultivated a Steve Jobs-like persona, complete with a signature look and carefully crafted public image.

Dorsey's transformation:

• Adopted a daily uniform of jeans, white shirt, and dark jacket
• Emphasized design and user experience in his work at Square
• Positioned himself as the visionary founder of Twitter in media appearances

This reinvention played a crucial role in Dorsey's eventual return to Twitter, as he garnered support from key board members and executives who saw him as a Jobs-like figure capable of leading the company.

5. Ev Williams' leadership and vision for Twitter as a news platform

"Twitter was originally conceived as a mobile status update service—an easy way to keep in touch with people in your life by sending and receiving short, frequent answers to one question, 'What are you doing?'" Ev and Biz wrote in a blog post on Twitter's Web site. "Sure, someone in San Francisco may be answering 'What are you doing?' with 'Enjoying an excellent cup of coffee,' at this very moment. However, a bird's-eye view of Twitter reveals that it's not exclusively about these personal musings."

Evolving beyond status updates. Ev Williams saw Twitter's potential as a news and information platform, pushing for changes that would emphasize this aspect of the service. His vision clashed with Jack Dorsey's original concept of Twitter as primarily a status update tool.

Williams' key contributions:

• Changed Twitter's prompt from "What are you doing?" to "What's happening?"
• Emphasized Twitter's role in breaking news and global events
• Focused on improving the web experience rather than mobile

Despite his contributions, Williams struggled with decision-making and management, leading to conflicts with the board and eventually his removal as CEO.

6. The role of investors and board members in Twitter's evolution

"We're clearly not smart enough to understand Iranian politics," Biz said to Goldman as they sat in a quiet conference room together trying to figure out what to write. "We don't know who the good guys are or who the bad guys are."

Balancing growth and control. Twitter's investors and board members played a crucial role in shaping the company's direction, often intervening in management decisions and leadership changes. Their focus on growth and monetization sometimes clashed with the founders' visions.

Key investor actions:

• Pushing for Jack Dorsey's removal as CEO in 2008
• Supporting Ev Williams' ascension to CEO
• Orchestrating Williams' removal and Dick Costolo's appointment in 2010

The involvement of venture capitalists like Fred Wilson and Peter Fenton brought expertise and resources but also added complexity to decision-making processes and power dynamics within the company.

7. Twitter's impact on global events and its struggle with identity

"A seventeen-year-old with a smart phone can now do what it used to take an entire CNN crew to do," she said. "It's bringing transparency to opaque places."

A platform for global voices. Twitter's role in events like the 2009 Iranian election protests and the Arab Spring demonstrated its power as a tool for real-time news and activism. However, this also raised questions about the platform's responsibilities and potential for misuse.

Twitter's global impact:

• Facilitated communication during political upheavals and natural disasters
• Became a primary source of breaking news for journalists and the public
• Raised concerns about misinformation and manipulation

As Twitter's influence grew, the company grappled with its identity and responsibilities. Should it be a neutral platform or take a more active role in moderating content and protecting users?

8. The ethical dilemmas and personal costs of building a tech giant

"I've often spoken to the editorial nature of what I think my job is. I think I'm just an editor."

The human side of tech leadership. The story of Twitter's creation and growth is also a tale of personal relationships, ambitions, and sacrifices. The founders and early employees faced ethical dilemmas and personal costs as they built the company.

Key ethical and personal challenges:

• Balancing friendship and business relationships
• Dealing with the pressures of rapid growth and public scrutiny
• Making decisions that affected millions of users and global events

The personal toll on individuals like Noah Glass, who felt erased from Twitter's history, and the strained relationships between the co-founders highlight the human drama behind the creation of a tech giant. These experiences raise important questions about the ethics of startup culture and the responsibilities of tech leaders.

Last updated: July 23, 2024