Twitter gutted its policy team. Some of the band is getting back together

Over a dozen former executives who led Twitter’s public policy team are launching a new political advisory group, taking the practically unheard of step of reuniting en masse after the company, since-rebranded X, shed much of its own shop under Elon Musk. The newly minted Blue Owl Group, a nod to Twitter’s once-iconic bird logo, is stacked with longtime tech veterans looking to use the new perch to shape major debates about the internet, artificial intelligence and climate — while recapturing the company’s sensibilities. While the firm includes several veterans like Colin Crowell who left Twitter years before Musk’s takeover, over half of its roster departed after the mogul launched his bid to buy the platform last year, including many who left in the past six months. Though Twitter once had one of the most prominent voices in tech policy debates, the announcement highlights how the company’s presence in Washington and other global capitals has faded, as it hemorrhages its government affairs teams. Crowell, who will serve as the new group’s managing director, said the firm is hoping to help companies, investors and start-ups navigate what he called the next “hinge of history” when it comes to internet policy, particularly those committed to “an open internet vision” and “strong ethical standards on privacy and data protection.”