Chuck Darwin on Nostr: Ah yes, Twitter—or X. Whatever you call it, the social media site was Musk’s ...
Ah yes, Twitter—or X. Whatever you call it, the social media site was Musk’s primary tool to elect Trump. In Bloomberg’s Tech Daily newsletter for November 7, Kurt Wagner writes that Musk “turned his feed into a Trump-inspired billboard for his more than 200 million followers,” that it “became a major source of anti-immigrant conspiracy theories,” that Musk “re-shared posts from the former president’s supporters, not all of them accurate,” and that Musk turned X into “a much more powerful version of Truth Social.”
As a journalist, my livelihood depends to some extent on reaching readers through social media, -- and Twitter, even in its diminished state after Musk bought it, still seemed like the best venue.
I’ve since learned that Twitter’s once vaunted reputation as a driver of traffic is fading fast; at The New Republic, it’s no longer a significant referrer.
But well before I knew that, I concluded that I couldn’t live with myself if I stayed.
How could I face my children? How could I explain myself to readers?
After I left, evidence of the site’s toxicity continued to pile up.
I would ask my liberal friends: Why are you still on Twitter, or X, or whatever it’s called?
They would look at me sheepishly. -- I tried not to get self-righteous about it, but quietly, I was shocked.
Well, I’m done being respectful of individual choices.
If you’re still on Elon Musk’s site you’re part of the problem.
Don’t tell me you’re still a liberal, or even a principled conservative.
Don’t tell me it’s a public utility over which Musk will eventually relinquish control,
or that you’re there to make sure alternative voices remain,
or that your babies need to be fed.
Most especially, don’t tell me how angry you are that Donald Trump won the election.
I write this knowing full well that my own employer, The New Republic, continues to hawk its wares on Twitter.
I didn’t previously bring this up with management,
or even with TNR’s union,
because, well, it’s awkward.
I bring it up now.
As a journalist, my livelihood depends to some extent on reaching readers through social media, -- and Twitter, even in its diminished state after Musk bought it, still seemed like the best venue.
I’ve since learned that Twitter’s once vaunted reputation as a driver of traffic is fading fast; at The New Republic, it’s no longer a significant referrer.
But well before I knew that, I concluded that I couldn’t live with myself if I stayed.
How could I face my children? How could I explain myself to readers?
After I left, evidence of the site’s toxicity continued to pile up.
I would ask my liberal friends: Why are you still on Twitter, or X, or whatever it’s called?
They would look at me sheepishly. -- I tried not to get self-righteous about it, but quietly, I was shocked.
Well, I’m done being respectful of individual choices.
If you’re still on Elon Musk’s site you’re part of the problem.
Don’t tell me you’re still a liberal, or even a principled conservative.
Don’t tell me it’s a public utility over which Musk will eventually relinquish control,
or that you’re there to make sure alternative voices remain,
or that your babies need to be fed.
Most especially, don’t tell me how angry you are that Donald Trump won the election.
I write this knowing full well that my own employer, The New Republic, continues to hawk its wares on Twitter.
I didn’t previously bring this up with management,
or even with TNR’s union,
because, well, it’s awkward.
I bring it up now.