So, anything happening over on Twitter these days?
That’s a hilarious joke, because of course the platform is frantic and fraught over the news that Elon Musk has just made a successful bid to purchase Twitter and take it private. There’s a whole lot of digital teeth-gnashing and garment-rending happening over on everyone’s favorite least favorite social network, and it seemed like a good time to fire up Positively Digital and offer some comfort and support in what so many feel is an extremely trying time.
Just to be clear at the jump, this is not a socio-political post, and while there are certainly many fruitful (and many, many more unfruitful) conversations to have around how Elon’s ownership may or may change the platform for better or worse, this isn’t a space for those conversations.
This is a space for reassurance and re-centering.
If you find yourself anxious about Twitter becoming a worse platform, content-wise, because the locks have been changed, and the richest man in the world now holds the key, take a little heart in the knowledge that, if we’re being honest, Twitter has never really not been a toxic-content platform. Twitter has long been the home of some of the internet’s absolute worst behavior, and if you’re thinking that it’s going to get really bad for the first time, what you may actually be thinking, with or without the language to state it clearly, is that new rules about content and account management are likely to throw your algorithm into a tailspin, and more negative content on Twitter will mean more negative content in your specific Twitterverse, which will mean more negative content in your feed. Which is an extremely valid concern. But if you’re going into this thinking that Twitter is good right now, it’s only because you’re either brand new to the platform and haven’t had a chance to really dig in deep yet, or that you’ve managed to carve out a comfortable spot for yourself over years of algorithmic tweaks so that you don’t see the stuff that makes you mad.
The good news is, then, that you have the tools to manipulate your algorithm and make Twitter a happier space for yourself, no matter what times down the timeline. You’ve done it before; you can do it again.
With that in mind, here are some helpful suggestions on how to stop worrying and embrace the Twitter journey.
You can block accounts.
There’s nothing wrong in blocking the people on Twitter who don’t offer up a positive presence. If you don’t like someone’s words, their energy, their graphics, their whole vibe, then do yourself a favor and block that person. Your world won’t suffer from not knowing what they say. You already know the kinds of things they say, but now you won’t have to see them.
You can mute keywords.
Honestly, this is probably Twitter’s greatest feature. If there are words or phrases you know are bound to trigger your inner rage monster, just mute them, and you won’t have to see them ever again. Here’s an admittedly benign example: I love playing Wordle. It’s a great daily ritual. But I cannot stress with enough power or passion how much I do not care how well strangers play the game. For a couple of weeks, when Wordle really blew up, it seemed like everyone was sharing their green and yellow boxes, and it was gumming up my timeline. So I muted the word “Wordle,” and guess what! I haven’t seen a single daily score tweet since. My Twitter experience was instantly made better, smoother, and healthier. Your experience can be better, too.
You can engage with good content.
Whatever changes Elon brings, he almost certainly won’t change the fundamentals of the engagement algorithm, which means if you want to see more positive, uplifting content, then go out there and engage with more positive, uplifting content. Engagement with a certain type of content spurs connection with more of that content type, and eventually you’ll get back to where you were. It might be harder to find for a while, but a little work on the front end will make your Twitter by Tesla experience infinitely more soothing.
You can ignore tweets.
Trust me, I know how hard it is to let an outrageous post go by. We’re always just one very carefully-worded reply away from shutting down misinformation and winning social media!
…except of course there’s no magic line that’s going to shut down trolls or clean up the internet or make negativity disappear. Negativity begets negativity, and this downward spiral of harsh commentary is the outrage fuel that feeds the social media engine. So how do you make it stop?
Simple. Cut off its fuel supply.
It can feel like a monumental effort in the moment, but it’s okay to see tweets, read them, and let them slip away down the timestream. You don’t have to engage. And because of the algorithms, and because of how humanity tends to operate, it’s usually best if you don’t.
You can leave Twitter.
Some of you aren’t ready to hear this, but listen. You don’t have to use Twitter. If you’re truly despondent over what Twitter might become, then leave the platform. And honestly, if the thought of content moderation changes on a social media network is honestly giving you anxiety and dread, you probably should leave that platform, Musk or no Musk. Put down your phone and go touch some grass. The world isn’t Twitter, and Twitter is not the world. Fewer than 1/4 of Americans even have a Twitter account, and of the ones who do, a full 90% of them either rarely or never tweet.
Twitter is not the world. Twitter is 2.3% of the world. It’s okay to walk away from the outsized noise of 2.3% of people.
To be honest, all of these suggestions are really evergreen tips on how to make your social world a better, brighter space. And they’re important to keep in mind as the Twitterverse roils and froths over the potential future of the platform.
Post the content you want to see. Engage in the tweets that buoy your soul. Block out the noise that threatens your mental state. And if all else fails, put down your phone and go sit in a park.
Twitter is only as bad as you let it become.
I appreciate your words and the thought behind them. I'm pretty sure that everyone could occasionally benefit from an honest look at their social media interactions and the effects of it on their Real Life.
I hope that You don't mind, but I may be sharing your message... On Twitter! 😁
Let me know if you would rather I didn't.
Thanks for the Positive thoughts 👍🤔😊
Right on! I don’t have a Twitter account and don’t plan on signing on anytime soon 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻