Mehdi Hasan: Think of people around the world tonight who need Twitter to get their voices heard...

[demmiblue]

Think of people around the world tonight who need Twitter to get their voices heard, to document human rights abuses and injustices, to get attention, expose war crimes, and more.

All of them could be about to be cut off because the world’s richest man wanted to own the libs.

Link to tweet

A non-functioning Twitter will have a harmful impact on the revolution currently underway in Iran.

Twitter is a key communication tool not only for revolutionaries but also to expose the evil behavior of the Islamic Republic.

Link to tweet

[BlueIdaho]

1. Think of all the Twitter alternatives

That are still easily accessible, free, and not run by assholes…

[WhiskeyGrinder]

2. Like...?

[Celerity]

8. There are not any remotely similar options atm. Twitter was dominated by the left and the good sides

Amazing to see its demise cheered on here.

[BlueIdaho]

9. That was then

This is now.

[obamanut2012]

10. There are none

[DBoon]

3. Aren't the Saudis a co-investor in Musk's takeover?

They would certainly have an interest in seeing twitter crash and burn

[2naSalit]

4. That's exactly why...

He sided with the saudis, who put up some cash, to kill it in a hurry. Serves the purposes of the dictators worried about uprisings.

Ukraine has been very dependent on it during this war, it's how some stay in touch.

Fuck all the billionaires and their bullshit.

[eleny]

5. He's a hero to those who matter to him

[Emrys]

6. Yes, for a lot of people around the world, this is shaping up to be a disaster.

There is no adequate alternative available or they'd already be using it. Instagram, TikTok, the various Mastodons etc etc. don't have the same reach or established communities with trusted reputations. Many crucial crowdfunders are also organized via Twitter.

The only reason I'm relishing tonight's developments is that if Twitter's going to fall over - and there's nothing I can do about that except watch and screw what humour I can from the situation - I'd prefer it did it soon, so with any luck Musk can be swept away to ruin whatever's left of Tesla and someone with a degree of sanity and a few people skills takes over administration, if not ownership.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

7. When twitter started to clean itself up, it may have irritated the oligarchs and autocrats.

[rogue emissary]

11. Same guy that went on and on about Biden being in "Mental Decline."