Not Trying To Start A Fight, But Something To Consider... (TwitterX)

[Rubyshoo]

I know many here want absolutely nothing to do with Twitter. Musk is another in a line of vain, egotistical, spoiled billionaires who think that because of their sucess, their opinions carry more weight than the rest of us. Fuck... Him...

The thing is... Twitter is almost ubiquitous.

I had no desire to join in that world, yet every article in every website I came to rely on, had Twitter links to fill out the various stories. IOW - If I wanted to see what the author was saying, I had to click on a link the ultimately took me to Twitter.

Kamala Harris has a Twitter Account. Tim Walz has a Twitter Account. The DNC has a Twitter Account. Bernie Sanders, AOC, Gavin Newsome, Joe Biden, Nancy Pelosi... You get the idea...

Not only that... they are counting on those accounts to communicate with us, and the wider world.

So I will put MY distaste of, and objections to Elon Musk to the side this election cycle. I will truly not let the perfect be the enemy of the good, And... I damn well will NOT fight with one hand tied behind my back.

You may disagree, as is youre right, and I respect that. But check this out, please (From August 1st):



Democratic National Convention to Credential 200 Content Creators in Chicago

CHICAGO – Today, the Democratic National Convention Committee (DNCC) announced that it will credential more than 200 content creators to cover the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago as part of its efforts to reach more Americans than ever before. The convention will provide hundreds more with remote access to downloadable content and resources to share convention experiences with their viewers. Creators are already sharing their excitement with their audiences in a new video that spotlights some who will be covering the convention from inside and outside the hall.

“From day one of convention planning, we’ve set out to bring the story of our party to the American people,” said Cayana Mackey-Nance, Director of Digital Strategy for the DNCC. “Bringing creators to our convention will multiply our reach and ensure that everyone can witness democracy in action. We’re confident that when the world turns to Chicago in August on their phones, tablets, or TVs, they’ll see exactly who Democrats are and the future that we’re fighting for.”

“Our convention will make history, so we’re giving creators a front row seat to history,” said Matt Hill, Senior Director of Communications for the DNCC. “While MAGA Republicans revolve solely around Donald Trump, Democrats are reaching Americans where they are with the tools to tell their own stories.”

Following last month’s announcement that the Democratic National Convention would be credentialing content creators for the first time in convention history, the DNCC team received overwhelming interest from creators across the country representing a wide range of audiences, interests, and demographics.

https://demconvention.com/news/press-releases/democratic-national-convention-to-credential-200-content-creators-in-chicago/


And look how they decided to communicate this:

Link to tweet

Thank you for your consideration.

[themaguffin]

1. I want desparetely for another platform to go to... so far the media accounts & others like you mentioned, haven't

consolidated somewhere. I don't get why that hasn't happened. There is demand for an alternative.

[relayerbob]

5. Threads has most of it

But does require some effort to build up. It’s based on engagement, not mass marketing like Xitter

[Think. Again.]

2. Twitter just happens to be the big thing at the moment...

...it won't be long before some other public communication platform takes over.

Especially if musk's spendable cash starts running low.

[womanofthehills]

22. Elon's worth is about to go way up

When his affordable robots hit the market. I read they would be reasonably priced like a thousand dollars. We can all have our own robots- hopefully they clean houses.

[relayerbob]

3. 90% of that sort of thing, I use Threads for

But Xitter, as bad as it is, has some very specific content on it, political and about Ukraine, Venezuela, and the MidEast that is simply not available elsewhere. So, I have cut it to just a few minutes a day to check those places. My wife is in the delete-the-app, f them mode, and I don’t disagree, generally

[Bucky]

4. I've never dived into that cesspool

I know someone has to keep an eye on that front, but even before Twitter became Xitter, I kept away. It was an addictive shit storm when I could barely handle Instagram.

[unblock]

6. I think threads will overtake xitter in about 5 years.

Musk deserves to be out of business, xitter can survive his horrendous mismanagement for now only because there's no comparable platform.

Similarly, I think Tesla will stop making cars in 5-10 years.

They're really just a battery company.

[Hugin]

11. Yeah, I am desperately waiting for social media 2.0...

Social Media was dying even before the takeover was in motion. That’s probably initially why Twitter jumped on Musk’s offer and sunk their little blue talons into making him follow through.

But, back then, the board rooms were all atwitter with his “geniusing”. Including the one where I worked.

Do they know better now? I seriously doubt it.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

14. Threads can be bought up just like twitter was. Mastodon, just like the Internet, can't be bought.

[unblock]

16. Yeah I'm not sure threads overtaking xitter would be anything to cheer about

Meet the new boss, same as the old boss....

Just saying musk has an actual competitor so he'll pay a big price for his continued self-destruction.

[LeftInTX]

26. He's really bad.

People complain about FB, but Musk has turned twitter into a crapper! It's as if Trump now owns twitter.....

[unblock]

7. I think threads will overtake xitter in about 5 years.

Musk deserves to be out of business, xitter can survive his horrendous mismanagement for now only because there's no comparable platform.

Similarly, I think Tesla will stop making cars in 5-10 years.

They're really just a battery company.

[JCMach1]

13. Threads, or whatever new platform catches fire

[Hugin]

8. I allow others to do my Twittering for me...

They do a reasonable job of filtering. I opted out early on.

It has become obvious that Eloon’s hostile takeover of the platform was a strategic move by fascists aware of it’s reach. I still believe he was talked into it by someone who claimed that they would share in the expense and ultimately didn’t pony up. Sound familiar?

[guillaumeb]

9. Agreed, I use Facebook and Twitter to troll the racists and raise topics.

We should not abandon any platform that is an open platform.

[mopinko]

10. i view it as a necessary evil.

too many important voices still there.
it’s what we have.

[JCMach1]

12. Hell to the nah... Been very, very consistent with my views

Since Musk bought the company.

There are plenty of alternative platforms.

I understand the nostalgia as DU became very reliant on Twitter over the last decade or so. But, the well is poisoned, friends

[LeftInTX]

27. The media is on twitter....

Until those alternate platforms gain traction they're nothing but "hang outs".

[sinkingfeeling]

15. Not on Twitter (X), Instagram, FB, or any other social media and don't want to be. Only DU.

[elocs]

17. Pass. My involvement with social media ended with MySpace. Today it's a cesspool. n/t

[stopdiggin]

18. I have never tried to tell (or shame) others into not participatiing

Although, there has clearly been some of that, along with some frank discussions on why and why not - with a lot of them revolving around the point made here - that it is simply the place where a preponderance (and unavoidable?) amount of information is exchanged in today's world.

I myself was never attracted (to either platform of content) - and thus will find it no hardship to eschew either or both going forward. Same time - I'm not wagging my finger at those that feel it still provides benefit and makes sense for them.

And finally - I think it has become overwhelmingly apparent that Musk is a far more toxic, amoral and de-evolutionary force than was generally acknowledged and appreciated 5 years ago. But if there were ever any ambivalence or misconception on that point - that time too is clearly over. I can honestly anticipate nothing going further out (from either Twitter or Musk) except further cesspool. It's almost impossible to think that it will somehow improve .. And in that vein - as the saying goes, 'let the buyer beware'. Who I really feel sorry for here - is a generation of young people who have now grown up acculturated to assuming that this is - what news and reporting looks like. And that is kind of sad.

[Rubyshoo]

20. And That Is The Problem...

That is where the young people are.

And if you are not willing to communicate using tools that they are comfortable with, you might as well be using NetScape.

Hell, when they said they were gonna put Kamala Harris on TikTok, I almost had a fit.

But... that proves the point, no?

[stopdiggin]

23. I'm not sad that Harris-Walz are on the platform

show me a politician that currently isn't. And that outreach is obviously important.
I AM rather sad that a significant portion of our voting population - think that this gabbling of many voices somehow represents 'News' - or some type of organic 'gestalt' representing real information. It is neither. Nor (IMO) will it ever be.

[LeftInTX]

28. I'm sure the media is pondering bailing....Musk is freak'n toxic....

[rog]

19. Many DU-ers who post twitter links ...

... provide context and/or excerpts. I have decided not to follow any blind twitter links, as my ESP capabilities have waned over the years.

Yes, it requires more effort to do this.

[stopdiggin]

24. typing out 2 or 3 lines explaining what the content represents

(and perhaps why it is relevant) - is not such a huge expenditure of time and/or effort.
Except for the terminally lazy, and/or self important and absorbed. This IS all about me after all ..

[RussBLib]

21. I love that

...Kamala is covering all the bases.

https://russblib.blogspot.com

[LostOne4Ever]

25. I wish the Democratic Party would make a stand against Xitter

If the party as a whole said that they found the lack of moderation, the promotion of hate, and the clear bias of the owner (Musk) was no longer acceptable and urge all of their members to STOP POSTING on Twitter and only give interviews if the reporters agree to post to all the other platforms other than Xitter first…

We could actually put a dent in the Twitter monopoly.

And if they were to pick another platform to make the official democratic platform we could steer many reporters and news media away from there as well.

A lot of people use threads but doing that just trades one biased billionaire asshole for another billionaire who might or might not be another hostile asshole.

I think we should focus on Bluesky instead!

It is not only more streamlined and user friendly than Mastodon (and run my US citizens), but isn’t run by Musk or Zuckerberg. We would be promoting more competition so that people could have more choices.

[LeftInTX]

29. The Democratic Party is trying to reach out to the public, not live in a bubble.

A few years ago, there was an open source alternate to FB. It ended up being a RW cesspool.


If we want to avoid billionaires let's boycott MS, Apple, Intel, Graphics Cards, HP, Dell, Comcast, ATT etc etc.let's build our own computers.....

I think twitter is becoming toxic because Musk is toxic, not because he's a billionaire.

I really don't have a problem with FB. Yes, Zuck is a jerk, but he isn't batshit crazy. I haven't had problems on FB and have been on the platform for 14 years now.

However, the party will stay on twitter because it needs to get their message out to the public. Hell, I wouldn't even know how to find "Mastodon" or anything on it.

[TommyT139]

30. Biden announced his step-aside on Twitter.

Like it if not, there's not an equivalent platform at the moment.