Now, the time has come to accept that Twitter is no longer the engaging, thought-provoking, and humorous space to interact with strangers online it once was. Our relationship with the social media app has become toxic. So, it is time to walk away from this virtual space. Leaving Twitter is now the latest trend.
Let’s talk about the elephant in the room about X, formerly known as Twitter. That elephant is Elon Musk. Since he took over Twitter, it has become the Bad Place.
Not tweeting every hour on the hour might initially feel a little out of character. You’re probably circling the question, “If I leave, will my audience follow me?” Then there’s the most vital question: Is there any other space on the internet that can provide the intellectual stimulation and cultural insights that Twitter provided?
Well, I’m not going to lie to you. There might never be anything precisely like Twitter, but staying on X will eventually lead you into a pay-to-use system where you’re tweeting to internet trolls. So leaving Twitter is something to consider.
How Dr. Jekyll (AKA Twitter) Became Mr. Hyde (AKA X)
When founders Jack Dorsey, Biz Stone, and Evan Williams first created the app, they had this vision of an SMS-style app — a place where people could keep track of what their friends were doing. With a 140-character limit, then a 280 limit, the app grew into a place of catchy phrases, informative life updates, political insights, and a place where Black culture thrived.
Twitter was a solid and reliable social media app, but when the millionaire business owner took over, he made the app a part of his empire. Advertisers are leaving twitter as well which is a huge red flag for the company.
Musk changed the app’s name and vibes. One of the most significant impacts is that people can now pay for a blue verification badge. This was a controversial move since hundreds of loyal users spent years building up their qualifications to have some newbie get that same recognition just by paying a fee.
Also, the quality of content has changed. Before, at least some humans monitored the Twitter world to make sure everything stayed respectful and witty. Now more bots are observing the scenes, which means you can have anyone from a porn website to a white supremacist replying to your tweets.
The most disruptive change is hate speech and fake news, which have risen in the app because Musk doesn’t want to discriminate against what he believes is freedom of speech.
Overall, Musk came in with bad intentions. His plan for the app was to mimic what’s been done in China. He desires to make X into an all-in-one app where you can make purchases and carry out multiple personal functions.
Sorry, Musk, nobody asked for that.
Here’s Why You Should Leave Twitter/X
Leaving Twitter for many who have spent years on the app, is a big decision. Obviously, Musk has made many significant changes to the app. As a result, Twitter/X is slowly dying, if it’s not already dead, and we’re just squeezing the last breaths out of it. Musk’s takeover wasn’t an upgrade but a total digital conquest. Whatever positive experiences you’ve had on the app probably won’t happen again.
Follow the lead of dozens of journalists, business professionals, and social media strategists who are saying no more after seeing continuous drops in their engagement.
If you are wondering where to go, there are some options. They may not be a replica of Twitter, but they come close.
What Are Other Options for Twitter/X?
With an open mind, let’s talk about some Twitter/X alternatives.
Threads
I’ve come to enjoy Threads. It has a similar style and setup to Twitter but is a product of Instagram.
The app feels more welcoming, and the algorithm often points me toward other creatives, writers, and travel enthusiasts like myself. While I’ve only been using the app for a few months, I like that it’s a space where I can have a thorough thought dump and connect with professionals in my industry.
Bluesky
Bluesky is a place for stories and USA politics. It has fair moderators, and its layout and functions are very much like Twitter, so you won’t feel like you have to learn a new system.
You can also create custom feeds that give you more control over what you see.
Its user base is growing, with 1 million users in September 2023. Overall, it brings a more relaxed vibe as a place to share and possibly build opportunity.
Reddit has been in the social media game for a while, making the app reliable. If you’re unfamiliar with the app, it’s a space where people with similar interests can gather and post. It’s a space for fans rather than businesses.
Users on the app care about the topics they comment on, so generally, there is a supportive vibe. In comparison, the mechanisms aren’t too much like Twitter, but the relationships you build can be as genuine.
How to Break Up with Twitter/X Gracefully
So, hopefully, you’re convinced you need to leave Twitter/X, but what does breaking up with a social media app look like?
First, be clear about why you’re leaving. If you’re unclear on why, you’ll keep returning to disappointments and zero retweets.
Second, before switching over, spend some time researching other viable candidates. You don’t have to move to threads because it’s there. Consider what you want to get out of a new app.
Third, Serve Me the Sky suggests not closing your account. But why leave it open? If you close your account, someone can open a new one with your old username. Yes, they recycle usernames. Instead, Serve Me the Sky suggests pinning a post saying that you’re no longer using the app, switching it to private, and letting it be.
Ultimately, you decide whether to continue using Twitter/X. Nevertheless, you might be happy with another social media app.
