Scientits

People moan about Twitter being toxic etc, but it has become the best (only?) source for real-time news. You cannot get any quicker than learning information from people already on the ground and posting about what they are seeing.

Twitter knew what was happening before legacy media had even got out of bed.

if it goes down, we have lost an incredibly important source of news.

And all because of a giant manbaby throwing a tantrum

Nov 18, 2022 at 6:54amWeb
Show threadTomatoGrilledCheese Nov 18, 2022
@Scientits I agree, but it a ghost ship at this point and heading towards some rocks. No engineers are working there anymore. Everyone quit in all the departments. It's done. https://twitter.com/nitashatiku/status/1593399704636620800?s=20&t=1Q95RtuUjOlm8L43LF-I8g
Nitasha Tiku on Twitter

“!!! “I know of six critical systems (like ‘serving tweets’ levels of critical) which no longer have any engineers," "There is no longer even a skeleton crew manning the system. It will continue to coast until it runs into something, and then it will stop.” https://t.co/5lmWQHX2ft”

Twitter
Show threadTomatoGrilledCheese Nov 18, 2022
@Scientits Hopefully a lot of journalists end up here so we can all follow the news again like we did with Twitter.
Show threadClipper Chip Nov 18, 2022
@Scientits By now I actually believe that Mastodon can serve as a proper alternative. I was scetpical at first but now I can see that many high profile accounts have migrated already, I see a good future. Without algorithms.
Show threadRevK Nov 18, 2022
@Scientits There is nothing to stop "people already on the ground and posting about what they are seeing" here, is there... So will we "lose" it?
Show threadjoostetoNov 18, 2022
@revk @Scientits True, but the search function here will often not find the item.
Show threadIamAlyoshaNov 18, 2022

@Scientits it's value is indisputable and that's why a lot of people who have put massive amounts of effort into it are stubbornly clinging on.

I suspect Twitter will survive Musk - I don't believe he genuinely wants to shut it down.

He's just out of his depth and either panicking or getting very bad advice.

I also don't think there is an alternative. Twitter is the best at being Twitter. If that's what you want, everything else is a pale imitation.

Show thread🧟Nov 18, 2022
@Scientits I really hope that, after he has completed his tantrum and moved on/gone to jail/hiding, somebody a little bit more sensible is able to snap it up and restore some of it.
Show threadScientitsNov 18, 2022
@z0mbee Yep, that's best case scenario - someone is going to get a real bargain
Show threadMatt RoundNov 18, 2022
@Scientits @z0mbee I suppose the worry with that is he might decide to shut the whole thing down rather than accept a few billion & risk someone else being successful
Show threadScientitsNov 18, 2022

@mattround @z0mbee Yes, he could well shut the whole thing down. I think the US Government (and others) would have something to say about that.

So many world leaders are on there, it might force them to look at the power that billionaires have

Show thread🧟Nov 18, 2022
@Scientits @mattround I think the problem is that we all know he is that petty and childish. And doesn't think the law applies to him, based on his 'under duress doesn't count' comments this week.
Show threadScientitsNov 18, 2022

@z0mbee @mattround The law has gone in his favour multiple times when it really shouldn't have (he should have had to pay a large sum of money for the P*do comment) - but I think lawyers are now seeing him with fresh eyes.

They really don't like people who think they are above the law

Show thread🧟Nov 18, 2022
@Scientits @mattround You would really think he'd learn not to provoke the SEC after last time, but... nope. I really hope they choose to make an example of him tbh.
Show threadScientitsNov 18, 2022

@z0mbee @mattround He's underestimated the FTC - unlike the SEC (which can only issue fines), the FTC can haul you to prison for breaking the rules

Wonder how he'd cope in prison

Show thread🧟Nov 18, 2022
@Scientits @mattround I'm sure he would end up in a cushy white collar prison, but I reckon any restrictions on his ability to post to social media would be what breaks him.
Show threadScientitsNov 18, 2022

@z0mbee @mattround I've said to others, he is addicted to Twitter himself.

He is literally the spoiled rich kid on Christmas morning who has already broken hi new toys by 8am and is then screaming at his parents to buy him new ones

Show threadChumpanzeeNov 18, 2022

@z0mbee

I was wondering whether the old team would “get the band back together” and set up a new platform.

Show threadGeoff CrowtherNov 18, 2022
@Scientits You're absolutely right. I'm hoping it happens here too, eventually 🤞
Show threadbadly-drawn bee 🐝Nov 18, 2022
@Scientits We've also lost a key way for social injustice to be brought into the light. Oppression gets a big win because people were mean to Space Karen
Show threadScientitsNov 18, 2022
@Soapachu Exactly! Maybe that was the plan all along - the powers that be do not like the masses having their own voice
Show threadHtaggertNov 18, 2022
@Scientits I am very Sad. I got all my breaking news from twitter and there was a nice community of science/medicine that posted up publications/advice and commiseration. I am loathing Musk for the moment and just… sad. I like Mastodon and it is great but it’s different.
Show threadT.WllmsNov 18, 2022

@Scientits

as the old saying goes... necessity is the mother of invention... it may take a moment.. but something else will come along... we once received breaking news on the wire... but you know all this. maybe a new wire.. who knows... for right now it's fun to watch #ChiefNiTwit's rocket crash

Show threadGeoffSteambuff 💛💙Nov 18, 2022
@Scientits Lots of journalists are joining mastodon, & BBC, CNN, Reuters being here will encourage a lot more. Telegram use huge in eastern Europe, but they know about mastodon too. It would be better if Musk had not caused mayhem, but he has. It looks like it has lost advertisers, has no income stream but huge debt. Now many critical operational staff have gone. I fear the worst.
Show threadTa'verenNov 18, 2022
@Scientits I agree! One could cultivate a feed of credible news sources posting before mainstream media on TV had the story. Soo often I Knew ahead of others what news piece was about to drop. I too thought this was/iTwitter. Important feature of twitter. Our shared knowledge of national and international politics is vital to making educated choices shaping the communities within which we all live.
Show threadPeter EllisNov 19, 2022

@Scientits the question is: how much of all this was down to features inherent in twitter as a platform, and how much was simply the fact twitter was the only game in town

i've no idea what the answer is but i guess we're about to find out