'RIP Twitter' trends as employees resign in hundreds after Elon Musk's ultimatum

Elon Musk demanded Twitter staff choose between being "extremely hardcore" and working intense, long hours, or losing their jobs.

Twitter was full of poignant messages from hundreds of employees of the social media platform who quit the company after an ultimatum from new owner Elon Musk, who demanded staff choose between being "extremely hardcore" and working intense, long hours, or losing their jobs.

On Twitter, the hashtag #RIPTwitter trended as worried social media users posted about the platform’s fate as the company faces extreme turbulence. Musk responded to the trend with a meme featuring a tombstone with Twitter's bird logo morphed on it.

pic.twitter.com/rbwbsLA1ZG

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— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 18, 2022

Employees, who are internally known as “Tweeps”, used the hashtag #LoveWhereYouWorked and the salute emoji as they tweeted about their resignations in protest of Musk’s latest ultimatum.

"I may be #exceptional, but gosh darn it, I'm just not #hardcore," tweeted one former employee, Andrea Horst, whose LinkedIn profile still reads "Supply Chain & Capacity Management (Survivor) @Twitter."

“I walked away from my dream job today with a full heart because of the people I got to work with everyday. Here’s a photo dump of the best 4.5 years a girl could wish for,” Jessalyn Johnson tweeted.

I walked away from my dream job today with a full heart because of the people I got to work with everyday. Here’s a photo dump of the best 4.5 years a girl could wish for. #LoveWhereYouWorked pic.twitter.com/FeGaUfIpXi

— Jessalyn Johnson (@jessalyn_ann_) November 17, 2022

“After 8+ years, I still don't know what to say in this Tweet. It was one hell of a ride and a highlight of my career,” Twitter employee Brian said in his farewell message.

After 8+ years, I still don't know what to say in this Tweet.

It was one hell of a ride and a highlight of my career. #LoveWhereYouWorked pic.twitter.com/ccxKlUgcfR

— Brian (@brayniac) November 17, 2022

“Today I decided to leave Twitter. Words can't express how grateful I am to have had the opportunity to work in this amazing place with so many talented people. This was, indeed, my dream job,” another staff member, Gala, posted. “I wish luck and strength to those staying.”

Today I decided to leave Twitter. Words can't express how grateful I am to have had the opportunity to work in this amazing place with so many talented people. This was, indeed, my dream job

I wish luck and strength to those staying. #lovewhereyouworked #Twitter pic.twitter.com/cId96rvtiS

— Gala (@Deawer_87) November 17, 2022

heart is so heavy, but holding my head fcking high#LoveWhereYouWorked

(ps. sorry for cursing mama) pic.twitter.com/WLi5NGB0wY

— yohan lee (@yohanjlee) November 18, 2022

Read: Hundreds of Twitter employees resign after Elon Musk’s ultimatum

Elon Musk, also the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has come under fire for radical changes at the social media company, which he bought for $44 billion late last month. He had already fired half of the company's 7,500 staff earlier this month, scrapped a work-from-home policy and imposed long hours, all while his attempts to overhaul Twitter have faced chaos and delays.