SAN FRANCISCO: San Francisco sent the company formerly known as Twitter a warning Monday that it needed proper permits for the giant, flashing new X sign atop its headquarters, after the tech firm twice refused to let building inspectors check it.
The sign, installed on the roof of the company’s downtown office last week, is part of owner Elon Musk’s bid to rebrand the troubled social media giant to the 24th letter of the alphabet.
But local residents have complained, both to media and on Musk’s app, about the brilliant flashing lights emitting from the sign at night. Some have also complained about safety, suggesting the sign — which looms over the building’s edge — does not appear securely anchored to the roof.
A building inspector following up on a complaint first went to the tech firm’s headquarters on Friday — but was not allowed onto the roof to check the sign, according to the complaint posted on a city website.
Instead, an X representative told the inspector that the structure was “a temporary lighted sign for an event,” the complaint showed.
A second attempt by an inspector to check the sign was also rebuffed on Saturday, according to the city.
On Monday the city sent X a notice of violation warning that it needed proper permits for the sign. The city website says that such notices can result in fees, but it was not immediately clear if X would face any financial penalty.
When contacted by AFP about the complaint, X replied with an automated message saying it would respond “soon.”
Musk has brushed off the backlash to the sign and to the rebrand in general, responding with a laughing emoji to one X user’s post about the city being at odds with him over the new sign.
The billionaire killed off Twitter’s globally recognizable bird logo early last week as he rebranded the company he hopes to turn into a super-app inspired by China’s WeChat, which would function as a social media platform and also offer messaging and payments.
Since Musk bought Twitter for $44 billion last October, the platform’s advertising business has collapsed as marketers soured on Musk’s management style and mass firings at the company that gutted content moderation.
In response, he has moved toward building a subscriber base and pay model in a search for new revenue.
Workers last week were stopped while removing the Twitter sign and blue bird logo from the headquarters due to a lack of proper permits.
San Francisco warns Musk he needs permit for giant, flashing X sign
https://arab.news/wxf7m
San Francisco warns Musk he needs permit for giant, flashing X sign
- Musk has brushed off the backlash to the sign and to the rebrand in general, responding with a laughing emoji to one X user’s post about the city being at odds with him over the new sign
Asharq Business with Bloomberg, Nasdaq to bring real-time US equities data to MENA
- Nasdaq to deliver exclusive real-time US equities market data
- Real-time updates fully integrated into Asharq Business’ data infrastructure and available across all platforms
RIYADH: Asharq Business with Bloomberg, the region’s leading business and financial news multi-platform channel, announced Tuesday a strategic three-year collaboration with Nasdaq, to deliver exclusive real-time US equities market data and updates to investors and decision-makers across the Middle East.
Through access to Nasdaq’s official data product, Nasdaq Last Sale (NLS), Asharq Business with Bloomberg will receive real-time last-sale trade updates and calculated insights across major US exchanges directly from the Nasdaq Market Center. The collaboration strengthens market transparency, enhances data-driven storytelling, and provides audiences and partners with deeper insight into global financial activity.
With a rapidly growing investor base in the region — and with Nasdaq serving as a primary destination for many Arab and regional investors — Asharq Business with Bloomberg reinforces its mission to deliver timely, accurate, and exclusive financial updates by integrating NLS data into its digital platforms, live markets coverage, and broader data ecosystem.
Leveraging its partnership with Bloomberg Media — which grants access to reporting from over 2,700 journalists and analysts worldwide — Asharq Business with Bloomberg continues to build on its reputation as the region’s most trusted and credible multi-platform business news source. The collaboration with Nasdaq underscores its commitment to providing reliable, data-backed content across social, digital, and streaming platforms, available for audiences anytime and anywhere.
Dr Nabeel Al Khatib, General Manager of Asharq News Network, commented: “It has been five years since the inception of Asharq Business with Bloomberg, and our audience has always been at the center of everything we do. We invest time and effort to understand what matters to them, ensuring we deliver data and stories that genuinely support informed decision-making. With growing regional interest in global markets, our collaboration with Nasdaq marks a strategic step toward offering a clearer, more comprehensive view of international financial activity. Through Nasdaq Last Sale, we aim to further empower our audience with transparent, real-time insights, strengthening their ability to navigate an increasingly interconnected global investment landscape.”
The Nasdaq leadership team added: “We are pleased to collaborate with Asharq Business with Bloomberg to broaden access to high-quality US market data in the Middle East. Through Nasdaq Last Sale, we aim to enhance transparency, support informed decision-making, and contribute to a more connected global investor community.”
