Twitter Supports an Unhealthy Social Environment

Individuals and organizations are questioning whether they should continue to use their Twitter accounts. Many progressive organizations depend on Twitter to keep their members and supporters informed about their activities. They also use Twitter to identify like-minded individuals. Twitter enthusiasts tout the ability of an individual to “become famous” because their content can be liked and shared to reach large audiences. However, using Twitter by those who dream of an America without racism is very problematic.

Since Elon Musk purchased Twitter in October 2022, it has become more toxic month after month. It is a venue for racist, sexist, antisemitic, anti-Muslim, anti-LGBTQ+, anti-immigrant, promotion of violence, unfounded conspiracy theories, and much more. Even before Musk bought Twitter, it was problematic for progressives because of its business plan.

While Twitter does not charge users, they collect information from users. This information is used in a devilish cycle that generates profits for Twitter. First, they give you an account without charging you. Then they collect information about your activity on Twitter. With data about users like you, they go to advertisers, telling them they can target those who see an ad. The advertising is their income. Then they manage what messages you receive using an analysis of your activity. This content management is designed to keep you engaged so that they can learn more about your habits and present you with advertising that they believe will interest you.

Twitter’s goal is to keep you engaged so you will spend more time and, therefore, be available for them to send you more advertising. Strategies include protecting you from messages that do not support your prejudices. This prevents you from hearing about or engaging with those who are different. Twitter collects data from you every time you log in, read and post tweets, and as you interact with websites beyond Twitter. With Twitter, users are not consumers of a free service. Rather, users and information about them are the product that Twitter sells to advertisers.

As journalist and educator Jelani Cobb wrote in The New Yorker, “A platform that once represented the new frontier of digital democracy is being used by the world’s richest man to troll us all” (November 27, 2022). It needs to be noted that the Twitter business plan differs little from the business plans of other social media sites like Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. However, a key difference is that Musk does not limit and sometimes promotes the distribution of lies and unfounded conspiracy theories.

At Ending Racism USA, we want to “build an organization that models the values of multicultural society and governance in advancing the movement.” This is one of the four strategies that we focus on. The strategy has roots in the philosophy that Gandhi summarized in the slogan: “The means are the ends in making.”

In 2023 a social media strategy is essential for every business and non-profit organization. Potential customers and stakeholders expect social media presence. This cannot be ignored by the movement to end racism, but we need a social media platform designed to facilitate community building within identity groups. At the same time, the platform needs to encourage cross-cultural sharing and learning. It needs to allow users to decide which individuals and groups to engage with. Our experiences with alternatives to Twitter will prepare the way for social media to become a powerful tool for democracy, for breaking down the barriers of racism, and to support a multicultural society.