Your eyes are not deceiving you; SpaceX CEO Elon Musk challenged Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg to a “dick measuring contest.” At the time of writing, Musk hasn’t explained why he posted such a statement, nor has Zuckerberg responded. However, this shocking message appeared when Twitter sued Meta for copying Twitter with its Threads app.
We rarely see billionaires share such unbelievable statements, yet Elon Musk has done it. This message shows the way wealthy individuals interact is changing. More importantly, this news came after Musk reportedly challenged Zuckerberg to fight in the Roman Colosseum.
Soon, these events may lead to something truly spectacular! This article will discuss the possible reasons why Elon Musk proposed a “literal dick measuring contest” with Mark Zuckerberg. Then, I will explain how their escalating conflict started.
Why did Elon Musk suggest a “dick measuring contest”?
On July 10, 2023, Elon Musk suddenly tweeted an insult to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, “Zuck is a cuck.” Later, he said, “I propose a literal dick measuring contest.”
As mentioned, Musk hasn’t explained why he would post such scathing remarks. However, the issue coincides with Twitter’s ongoing lawsuit against Meta.
Inquirer Business reported Twitter threatened to sue Meta Platforms over its new Threads platform. It cited a letter from Twitter’s lawyer, Alex Spiro, addressed to Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg.
Meta launched the new platform on July 5, 2023, and quickly gained over 30 million sign-ups. However, Threads’ appearance and features closely resembled Twitter.
Spiro accused Meta of hiring ex-Twitter employees who “had and continue to have access to Twitter’s trade secrets and other highly confidential information.”
He added, “Twitter intends to strictly enforce its intellectual property rights and demands that Meta take immediate steps to stop using any Twitter trade secrets or other highly confidential information.”
In response, Meta spokesperson Andy Stone rebutted the claim. “No one on the Threads engineering team is a former Twitter employee. That’s just not a thing,” he added.
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Twitter owner Musk reacted to Spiro’s letter by tweeting, “Competition is fine; cheating is not.” Later, the Tesla CEO posted more insults to Mark Zuckerberg.
Musk could be reacting to Threads’s sudden popularity and ongoing lawsuit against it. However, Inquirer Business said various law experts find its claims dubious.
Stanford law professor Mark Lemley said, “The mere hiring of former Twitter employees (who Twitter itself laid off or drove away) and the fact that Facebook created a somewhat similar site is unlikely to support a trade secrets claim.” Consequently, Twitter must share more details.
When did Elon Musk vs. Mark Zuckerberg start?
Photo Credit: medium.com
The beef between Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg has been stewing since last month. On June 21, 2023, Musk responded to another Twitter user mentioning Threads.
He responded, “I’m sure Earth can’t wait to be exclusively under Zuck’s thumb with no other options. At least it will be ‘sane.’ [I] Was worried there for a moment.”
Later, another Twitter user teased the Chief Twit to be careful with Zuckerberg’s martial arts training. In response, he remarked, “I’m for a cage match if he is, lol.”
Musk posted a screenshot of Musk’s “cage match” tweet in an Instagram Story with the caption, “Send Me Location.” Later, Musk replied, “Vegas Octagon.”
People wondered whether these tech billionaires would truly fight. Musk said, “The most entertaining outcome is the most likely.” Moreover, Musk taunted Zuckerberg with tweets like “Zuck my (tongue emoji).”
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On June 30, 2023, the SpaceX CEO tweeted, “Some chance fight happens in Colosseum,” referring to the ancient Roman arena. TMZ Sports claimed the Italian government approved staging the fight in the venue.
However, Italy’s Ministry of Culture denied inviting these business leaders. “There has been no formal contact from the ministry nor any written document,” it said.
“Even if the news appears tasty, it is unfounded. If Zuckerberg and Musk wanted to perform in the Colosseum, they would have to make it a non-violent challenge,” the ministry added.
Conclusion
Elon Musk challenged Mark Zuckerberg to a “dick measuring contest.” At the time of writing, the SpaceX CEO hasn’t explained his shocking statement.
Zuckerberg hasn’t replied either. The statement coincides with the ongoing legal battle between Twitter and Meta due to the new Threads social media platform.
Perhaps it’s a way to escalate towards a “cage match” between these billionaires. We would have to wait to find out. Meanwhile, check out more digital trends at Inquirer Tech.