TavernWenchFeb 19, 2023
Augie Ray

Twitter users: OMG, the #birdsite isn't working.

And: OMG, Musk is charging for 2-factor authentication now!

And: OMG, Musk is amplifying right-wing misinformation!

And: OMG, Musk is hanging with Rupert Murdoch!

And: OMG, abuse is rampant on Twitter now!

Also Twitter users: Here are another hundred tweets creating thousands of engagements that improve Musk's ad revenue.

You're not “fighting a good fight” on #Twitter. You're just helping Elon Musk win!

Feb 18, 2023 at 1:35pmWeb
Show threadDreaFeb 18, 2023
@augieray I get that people have built communities on Twitter but why keep your community on a platform that can be pulled out from under you at any moment based on the whims of some narcissistic billionaire?
Show threadbirdpoofFeb 18, 2023

@andricheli @augieray Not to mention the private DM information he and his hired goons have access to. While people are upset that Twitter charges for better account security, I removed my phone number because I don't want the bastard to have it. (Granted, all that depends on their record-keeping, and I don't know how that works.)

I hope Muskrat continues to fuck with the algorithm to shove his fascist tweets in their faces, just to get the point across that he owns them.

Show threadPēteris KrišjānisFeb 18, 2023
@andricheli @augieray if someone can't move on from platform they built on, it was never "their community" to begin with.
Show threadCautionWIP 🎃+🇨🇦+🏳️‍🌈= Feb 18, 2023
@peteriskrisjanis @andricheli @augieray I think that’s a fairly simplistic and frankly privileged attitude. For all its flaws (and there are SO MANY), Twitter enabled the location by members of marginalized communities of each other, and a platform that made the rapid exchange of information and community networking/mobilization possible in a way that no other platform ever had. They are understandably loathe to lose that agent of empowerment.
Show threadDreaFeb 18, 2023
@cautionwip @peteriskrisjanis @augieray I am someone who is (was) part of one such community on Twitter. Being in such a community makes it even more important to recognize this huge limitation that corporate social media is. Same goes for FB. This is an issue larger than just Twitter.
Show threadDreaFeb 18, 2023
@cautionwip @peteriskrisjanis @augieray Some of us in these communities depend on social media in a way that many others do not. Because of that dependence, it’s imperative that we move away from corporate-owned/controlled platforms and to one that is decentralized. It’s so important.
Show threadCautionWIP 🎃+🇨🇦+🏳️‍🌈= Feb 18, 2023
@andricheli @peteriskrisjanis @augieray I’m not arguing the general point. I’m here after all. :) But I find it frustrating when people act as though anybody that hasn’t moved is somehow an idiot for not doing so. There’ve been enough stories about BIPOC people running into real issues here on Mastodon & the limitations of virality that define the utility of social media for their purposes that we need to accept they’re making informed choices.
Show threadCautionWIP 🎃+🇨🇦+🏳️‍🌈= Feb 18, 2023
@andricheli @peteriskrisjanis @augieray Likewise, I assure you. But none of our communities are monocultures. BlackTwitter has faced some issues in trying to recreate communities here, and I prefer the notion of working to make it a safer and more welcoming space than chastising them for staying away.
Show threadCautionWIP 🎃+🇨🇦+🏳️‍🌈= Feb 19, 2023
@andricheli @peteriskrisjanis @augieray Just to make it clear : I absolutely agree that centralization is a huge trap we’ve seen destroy multiple platforms. I believe a federated approach is necessary and I hope it’s the Fediverse. I simply think we need to work to make it more accessible for everybody and in particular a better platform for more marginalized communities than just our own, instead of just being all judgy. More carrot, less stick. :)
Show threadWilliam Fonseca 🌲🌲Feb 19, 2023
@cautionwip @peteriskrisjanis @andricheli @augieray Mastodon algo can do it, on reality any other platform can do it (Tik tok (unless you live in US, because the moderation and algorithm is runned by another business not bytedancer), Telegram, Mastodon. But twitter addicted users refuse to leave twitter and use another platform and still fighting like Children
Show threadCautionWIP 🎃+🇨🇦+🏳️‍🌈= Feb 19, 2023
@Williamfonseca @peteriskrisjanis @andricheli @augieray I’m not saying that’s not the reality in some cases, but I also think there are a fair number of people with reasonable factors keeping them there. Also, there is no Masto algorithm. It’s entirely self-curated and any virality is organically generated.
Show threadWilliam Fonseca 🌲🌲Feb 19, 2023
@cautionwip @peteriskrisjanis @andricheli @augieray My criticize is for the people who keep insisting in use twitter over the argument that there is no other option, but in the reality we are no longer in 2010s where we only have Twitter and Facebook, we are living the age of the multiple networks, the people who keep insisting in the argument that they keep in that because there is no other option is only doing it because is addicted in its algorithm and the confusion that it causes.
Show threadWilliam Fonseca 🌲🌲Feb 19, 2023
@cautionwip @peteriskrisjanis @andricheli @augieray Example: I live in Brazil, and here twitter never was a very influential plataform, the most used app here nowdays are Facebook 💀, Tik Tok, Kwai, Halo, Instagram and Telegram, twitter was most used for consume erotic content, gossip and defamation (because the other platforms have more harder moderation against it now), and we never needed the twitter have our voices hear, the LGBTQ community achieve their goals using most Tik Tok and instagram
Show threadCautionWIP 🎃+🇨🇦+🏳️‍🌈= Feb 19, 2023
@Williamfonseca @peteriskrisjanis @andricheli @augieray I hear what you’re saying, but TikTok and Instagram are very different media formats compared to Twitter, which is more text based. For many people (I include myself) communicating through video and image isn’t really a workable format. Some folks prefer text. Again:not saying Twitter is good, just that some have good reason to grit their teeth and keep using it.
Show threadDreaFeb 19, 2023

@Williamfonseca @cautionwip @peteriskrisjanis @augieray Interestingly, for all the attention it gets, Twitter isn’t nearly as widely used as other social media platforms. It has certainly resulted in some active communities and political attention, but by the numbers it doesn’t have nearly the reach as the other platforms.

https://www.statista.com/statistics/272014/global-social-networks-ranked-by-number-of-users/

Biggest social media platforms by users 2025| Statista

Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and YouTube are the most popular social networks worldwide, each with at least 2.5 billion active users.

Statista
Show threadPēteris KrišjānisFeb 19, 2023
@andricheli @Williamfonseca @cautionwip @augieray Twitter has always had this "there are so many politicians and journalists" vibe, which given, can make it feel like sort of "global market place of ideas". But in same time, people have tendency to overestimate importance of the platform at larger scale. One could argue that it is same for all other social platforms.
Show threadPēteris KrišjānisFeb 19, 2023
@andricheli @Williamfonseca @cautionwip @augieray that's why more personal or professional arguments about importance of specific platform resonates more. Number of people in general is guesswork and prone to be speculative/fake/overblown due of goals of companies. Reach might be better argument.
Show threadDreaFeb 19, 2023
@peteriskrisjanis @Williamfonseca @cautionwip @augieray I agree; that overestimation has been much more extreme with Twitter given the presence of journalists and politicians on the platform. But if a platform is going to be consequential and important in media and politics, it is imperative that it’s not owned and controlled by a narcissistic billionaire who makes decisions based on whims.
Show threadPēteris KrišjānisFeb 19, 2023
@andricheli @Williamfonseca @cautionwip @augieray I agree on that. That's why I am 90% of the time on Mastodon - for all it's faults, federation is a way to go.
Show thread1Mar𝒵ipanFeb 18, 2023
@andricheli Sure, firstly, restricting 2FA to paid users. Simple, switched to Google Authenticator. Now there are 'rumors' about blocked users being 'unblocked'. Twitter is clearly going to favor those with deep pockets. Another reason why a Mastodon presence is prudent planning.
Show threadcaragraphFeb 18, 2023
@augieray it's hilariously painful to watch. Attention addicts melting down in real time. So dramatic!
Show threadJaageriFeb 18, 2023

@augieray

Like passengers on board sinking #Titanic "it's cold outside, let's go inside"

Show threadRichservo Feb 18, 2023
@augieray the only way to punish that piece of crap is to leave and never look back.
Show threadjrm4Feb 18, 2023

@augieray

Sigh. I get what everyone WANTS to do here, but the belief and the tactics are uncertain.

"Just leave" is still insufficent and bad in the same way that "huhuh Florida is stupid" is bad.

People we (and you should) care about are still in those places, and you can still both fight the fight and/or get people out if necessary by sticking around a bit more.

Show threadKyozouFeb 18, 2023
@jrm4 @augieray There is nothing to “fight.” He owns it. He can do whatever he wants with it.
Show threadjrm4Feb 18, 2023

@kyozou @augieray

This is like saying (20 ish years ago) "Bill Gates owns Microsoft and can do anything he wants with it, so no one should create open source software for Windows"

Which was absolutely false; there are second-order effects. Look, twitter is still *king* and also twitter is still not completely broken, and it appears as if he is not some evil genius.

Show threadclimate voter/radical oldieFeb 18, 2023
@augieray People going on Twitter knowing it is run by a fascistic sociopath and surprised that it is run as if it were run by same. But let's go one there daily and boost its value.
Show threadWildPlumBayFeb 19, 2023
@tmstreet @augieray My long term friends are on Twitter. They got me through Covid isolation. It’s hard to say goodbye.
Show threadAugie RayFeb 20, 2023
@Colleen @tmstreet I get it. I gave up 22k followers on Twitter. But imagine how great it would feel to make the move to mastodon with all your friends rather than pretending Twitter is the only place you can possibly connect. No one NEEDS to help Musk divide the world further.
Show threadkylegroveFeb 18, 2023
@augieray @paninid given the interest in his loans, it’s more like “help him lose less quickly.”
Show threadCoach Pāṇini ®Feb 19, 2023
@kylegrove @augieray the fees are a drop in the bucket against principal and interest. This is Brewster’s Millions Brokered by Morgan Stanley Before Bankruptcy™
Show threadwilliam.maggosFeb 18, 2023

@augieray

but their problem is the network effect. some will switch but most won't unless it's done collectively. they are the reason they won't leave. we need to come together on a strategy and execute it. I suggest targeting a week for everyone to only use the fedi instead of twitter. using the time before then to help everyone there get set up and recreate their connections here. most will never go back.

Show thread† top dog  Feb 18, 2023
@wjmaggos @augieray the issuse is that most people who go back are the ones who block everyone and live in a small fedi bubble and that gets boring
Show threadwilliam.maggosFeb 18, 2023

@dcc @augieray

well Elon is kinda solving that problem. it's not the safe space it was.

my hope is that people find a balance here. that the blocking gets limited to trolls, and the attempts to troll lessen. but I don't know that it's natural to enjoy hearing good arguments that challenge your perspective. that kind of outlook needs to be cultivated. it's the point of mandating an education on a populace imo. we seem more evolved towards tribalism etc.

Show threadFrank Bennett 🇯🇵Feb 18, 2023
@augieray Disagreement porn in action.
Show threadSnerk RabbledauberFeb 18, 2023

@augieray

Does Twitter follow you on Mastadon?

Show threadBrisVegasFeb 19, 2023
@augieray they all have Stockholm syndrome
Show threadAstrobach Feb 19, 2023
@augieray also them: vibes at Mastodon feel just slightly off, so obv I have to go back to twitter.
Show threadLottelouFeb 19, 2023
@augieray Yup!
Show threadCompassionateDownsizerFeb 19, 2023

@augieray

Twitter was a place that got better and better for me. I felt informed and connected. We cruised the zeitgeist and had a collective finger on the pulse!

And then turd face bought it.

Show threadfreeformz 🏳️‍🌈Feb 19, 2023
@augieray this. At this point I try not to even click on links to Twitter. I don’t really understand why folks continue there. Must be in denial.
Show threadCenobyte Feb 19, 2023
@augieray I have moved further and further away from Twitter, yet there’s people on there whom I consider friends and don’t want to lose contact with. I’m still encouraging them to come here,but it may take time and more drastic action on Elon’s part.
Show threadDavid W. JonesFeb 19, 2023
@augieray And: The rush of Russian-funded bots with their blue checks on Twitter will continue to prop it up, regardless of how many real humans are there.
I think, eventually, Twitter will be nothing but bots, tweeting at each other in ChatGPT-powered inanities.
Each will be carefull to follow and engage with His Supreme Twitness' tweets, so nothing will be done about them.
Show threadMatti AleveFeb 19, 2023

@augieray I’d also say, at this point, after being on Facebook then Twitter, I have no interest in being on another VC funded social network.

I look forward to the screams of the users on the new VC platforms when those too get enshitified.

Show threadKrisFeb 19, 2023
@augieray I just deleted my Twitter account. I feel pretty good about it.
Show threadAugie RayFeb 19, 2023
@kbdank71 I have deleted mine. I locked it and abandoned it. Couldn't quite bring myself to delete it, however.
Show threadRasta™ OLDFeb 19, 2023
@augieray the Ad revenue is the key. I don't see Promoted *Toots* here?
Liken this to taking your children to a theatre on Sunday to watch BAMBI Matinee, that runs porn the rest of the week. Your supporting it
Show threadRoss of OttawaFeb 19, 2023
@augieray agree with all of that, except maybe using that last word.
Show threadHarvey RoadFeb 23, 2023
@augieray - FACTS
Show threadSultmhoorFeb 23, 2023
@augieray preach