Installation of ‘X’ logo spurs investigation into permit, safety violations by Twitter

SAN FRANCISCO

Twitter’s new logo has sparked a debate as a result, the city of San Francisco has filed a complaint and launched a thorough investigation into the matter. On 28 July 2023, a giant “X” sign was installed on top of the downtown building which was formerly known as Twitter headquarters. This comes after the decision of the owner Elon Musk to rebrand the social media platform.
According to City officials, any replacement of letters or symbols on buildings, or putting up a sign on top of any building, requires a permit for design and safety reasons.
The San Francisco police stopped workers from putting up the ‘X’ sign on top of the building and removing the brand’s iconic bird logo from the side on Monday. The police department said they hadn’t taken any safety steps, like taping off the sidewalk, to ensure that pedestrians are safe in case anything falls.
The spokesperson for the Department of Building Inspection Patrick Hannan said any replacement letters or symbols would require a permit to ensure “consistency with the historic nature of the building” and to ensure that the additions are safely attached to the sign. He added that erecting a sign on top of a building also requires a permit.
As per the police department, planning review and approval is also necessary for the installation of this sign and the city is opening a complaint and initiating an investigation.
Musk is on his way to completely transform Twitter, a social media platform he bought last year for $44 billion. He launched a new “X” logo to replace the famous blue Twitter bird. The X began getting displayed at the top of the desktop version of Twitter earlier this week.
The San Francisco Police Department is still investigating the issue and future steps will be taken accordingly by the company.