Elon Musk’s X, Formerly Twitter, Takes Down Giant Flashing Sign at San Francisco HQ

The recently installed giant, flashy X sign is now gone.

Elon Musk's X Corp, formerly Twitter, has taken down the giant, luminous sign at its San Francisco headquarters.

The bright and flashy X sign has been the center of complaints from nearby residents.

Elon Musk's X Takes Down Giant Flashing Sign

Elon Musk X Sign
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - JULY 28: In an aerial view, workers install a large X on the roof of the former Twitter headquarters on July 28, 2023 in San Francisco, California. A week after Twiiter CEO Elon Musk officially rebranded Twitter as "X" and has changed its iconic bird logo, an X logo was installed on the roof of the social media platform's headquarters. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

It all began when Musk, the tech titan behind X Corp, embarked on a mission to reinvent and overhaul the giant social network. As part of the rebrand, which no one asked for, X Crop installed a massive "X" sign on top of its HQ in San Francisco last Friday, July 28.

Residents immediately slamemd the sign, saying that it was too bright and intrusive. The city of San Francisco also issued a notice of violation, saying that Musk's firm installed it without a permit.

SF Department of Building Inspection spokesperson Patrick Hanna stresses that any sign replacement requires a permit. He explains that it ensures the "consistency with the historic nature of the buildings." Not to mention that the permit should also ensure the safety of installment.

Besides the permit issue, downtown San Francisco residents also voiced out their criticism against the giant flashing sign atop the firm's HQ. As per CNBC, some folks complained that the bright X sign disrupted their sleep.

After facing backlash from local residents and a notice of violation from the city, the tech firm has taken down the recently installed giant flashing X sign.

CNBC notes that the workers started dismantling the flashy X on Monday, July 31, which they completely took down at roughly 1 pm.

According to ABC7 News, Hannan says the building owner is facing fines for flashing X. He says, "The property owner will be assessed fees for the unpermitted installation of the illuminated structure."

X Corp, the new name for Twitter following Musk's acquisition, has not yet commented on why they took down the sign.. However, it is likely that the company decided to remove it in order to avoid further legal trouble.

Musk's Twitter Rebrand to X

Elon Musk X Sign
The new X sign is installed on the roof of the headquarters of Twitter, which is being rebranded as "X", in San Francisco on July 28, 2023. Elon Musk killed off the Twitter logo on July 24, 2023, replacing the world-recognized blue bird with a white X as the tycoon accelerates his efforts to transform the floundering social media giant. Musk and the company's new chief executive Linda Yaccarino announced the rebranding on July 23, 2023, scrapping one of technology's most iconic brands in the latest shock move since the tycoon took over Twitter nine months ago. JULIE JAMMOT/AFP via Getty Images

The sign's removal is the latest in a series of controversies surrounding Musk's takeover of Twitter.

NBC News reports that the Tesla and SpaceX Chief Executive took over Twitter for a staggering $44 billion late last year. In April, Musk rebranded Twitter Inc. to X Corp.

And in July, Twitter's new chief exec, Linda Yaccarino, teased the massive overhaul of Twitter, which she touted to propel the social network in a new direction. She says, "X is t he future state of unlimited interactivity." In other words, they envision it to a super app, which dives into "audio, video, messaging, and payments/banking."

Tags
Elon Musk, Twitter, San francisco
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