Mastodawn

Martin Nutty Apr 22, 2023

Day 177 and #Twitter users are surprised that #ElonMusk’s decision to remove #bluecheck validation is causing chaos and the creation of impersonation accounts. That could never have been predicted?

#Decentralized #SocialMedia is the solution for exposure to willful and arbitrary behavior by egomaniacal billionaires

Anybody else perplexed this happened? 😜

https://thehill.com/policy/technology/3963163-blue-check-chaos-twitter-policy-spurs-confusion-and-scramble-to-prove-authenticity

Blue check chaos: Twitter policy spurs confusion and scramble to prove authenticity

Twitter’s move to remove thousands of legacy verification check marks Thursday resulted in chaos as users were left scrambling to prove their authenticity in the face of fake impersonation accounts emerging. Twitter began to remove thousands of its iconic legacy verification check marks on Thursday, nearly three weeks after CEO Elon Musk initially planned to…

The Hill

/2 Day 179 some #Twitter users are attempting to sabotage the #ElonMusk’s #BlueCheck program. A lot of users not happy, trying to bend #Musk to their will rather than leave and migrate to #Mastodon

What does it take?

#Twexit #MastodonMigration #TwitterMigration

https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2023/04/22/block-the-blue-twitter-verified/

Twitter users #BlockTheBlue as ‘verified’ accounts take on new meaning

Some netizens have blocked accounts with blue check marks after Twitter removed the symbol from legacy accounts.

The Washington Post

Martin Nutty Apr 24, 2023

/3 -Day 180 Kyle Chayka of the New Yorker writing on the decay of the largest social networks with a particular focus on #Twitter:

“we can’t rely on large digital platforms that are motivated by profit above all”

Certainly makes the case for #Mastodon

#TwitterMigration

https://www.newyorker.com/culture/infinite-scroll/buzzfeed-blue-check-marks-and-the-end-of-an-internet-era

BuzzFeed, Blue Check Marks, and the End of an Internet Era

Kyle Chayka on the end of BuzzFeed News, Elon Musk’s removal of blue check marks from Twitter, the SpaceX Starship explosion, and the end of a social-media era.

The New Yorker

Martin Nutty Apr 26, 2023

/4 - Day 182. Now here’s a surprise, those who have purchased a #Twitter #BlueCheck with have their posts prioritized

So much for the democracy of the internet or whether the quality of your content should be prioritized by opaque algorithms

I prefer my #AlgorithmFree #Mastodon experience

https://www.foxbusiness.com/technology/elon-musk-verified-twitter-accounts-prioritized.amp

#TwitterMigration

Elon Musk says verified Twitter accounts now 'prioritized' | Fox Business

Twitter CEO Elon Musk tweeted Tuesday that verified accounts on the social media platform are now "prioritized," after some celebrities were granted the badges without paying.

Martin Nutty Apr 27, 2023

/5 - Day 183 - The elimination of the #BlueCheck has degraded #Twitter’s utility as a #news source. The new implementation has nothing to do with authentication and verification, if anything it is a propagandist’s delight. In #Musk’s conception of #SocialMedia, truth, veracity and honesty are of little value

#TwitterMigration

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/26/technology/twitter-verification-problems.html

Tweets Become Harder to Believe as Labels Change Meaning

The elimination of check marks that helped authenticate accounts has convulsed a platform that once seemed indispensable for following breaking news.

The New York Times

Martin Nutty Apr 28, 2023

/6 Day 184 - What are the consequences of #Twitter laying off 75% of its workforce?

Two factor authentication used to be available for all accounts, it is now limited to Twitter blue payers. This recent removal, coupled with the lack of staff to assist with hacks, degrades the network. Classify this one under foolish #ElonMusk monetization attempts

#TwitterMigration

https://slate.com/technology/2023/04/twitter-hack-elon-musk-crypto-scams.html

My Twitter’s Been Hacked. But Hasn’t Everyone’s?

Life on a social platform that a shady character has taken from you and debased.

Slate

Martin Nutty Apr 29, 2023

/7 Day 185 - #JackDorsey now regrets #ElonMusk’s take over of #Twitter. I guess there were no signs of toxic narcissism and egomania when he advocated for #Musk as the owner a year ago

I wonder if Dorsey is feeling more anti-Musk now that #BlueSky is making the news?

#SocialMedia #TwitterMigration

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-04-29/twitter-co-founder-dorsey-rues-musk-deal-it-all-went-south

Twitter Co-Founder Dorsey Rues Musk Deal: ‘It All Went South’

Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey — once a supporter of Elon Musk’s $44 billion acquisition of the site — is now offering sharp criticism of the new owner and his handling of the deal.

Bloomberg

Martin Nutty May 1, 2023

/8 It used to be that #Twitter was a preferred distribution channel for governmental agencies, that status appears to be crumbling. The MTA, #NYC’s transit agency used the network to provide service updates - now no more.

Twitter is now apparently offering gold and gray check marks for organizations. Maybe a poop brown tick mark will work for #ElonMusk?

https://abcnews.go.com/amp/Business/wireStory/nyc-transit-agency-ends-twitter-alerts-unreliable-98928570

NYC transit agency ends Twitter alerts, says it's unreliable

ABC News

Martin Nutty May 3, 2023

/9 Ah yes that looks like a winning strategy to bring back #NPR to #Twitter

#ElonMusk oozes hostility towards legitimate #NewsMedia companies. At what point do #Journalists cut the cord and say ENOUGH!

I get it's difficult to walk away from a large following, but do you really want to continue putting money in this #oligarch's pocket?

#TwitterMigration #News

https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/elon-musk-threatens-to-assign-nprs-official-twitter-account-to-another-company

Elon Musk Threatens To Assign NPR’s Official Twitter Account To ‘Another Company’

Newly minted Twitter CEO Elon Musk threatened to reassign National Public Radio's official account — which uses the @NPR handle — to "another company" on Tuesday, weeks after the non-profit media…

TPM – Talking Points Memo

Martin Nutty May 4, 2023

/10 Looks like #ElonMusk has just realized that public service announcements are additive to #Twitter. Could be, requiring public agencies pay for access to the #TwitterAPI might cool said organization’s enthusiasm for the #SocialMediaPlatform

https://www.foxbusiness.com/technology/new-reversal-twitter-after-move-sparked-mta-withdrawl.amp

New reversal by Twitter after move sparked MTA withdrawl | Fox Business

Twitter says it has restored free access to a key tool for verified government and “publicly owned" services so they can tweet weather, transit and other alerts.

Martin Nutty May 6, 2023

11) The #TwitterBlue value proposition appears to be lacking. Churn rates on the service are extraordinarily high. Without a bona fide set of support services to truly validate users, #BlueCheckMarks have become meaningless. Chalk this one up as an #EpicFail

https://mashable.com/article/half-of-twitter-blue-earliest-subscribers-no-longer-subscribed

Over half of Twitter Blue's earliest subscribers are no longer subscribed

The early birds cancel their subscriptions.

Mashable

Martin Nutty May 10, 2023

12) Another day, another degradation of the #Twitter work environment because you know employees shouldn't be letting child birth get in the way of #ElonMusk world domination

https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/hr-topics/benefits/pages/twitter-cuts-paid-parental-leave-policy.aspx

#Family #TwitterMigration #WorkLifeBalance #PaidLeave

Twitter Slashes Parental Leave Policy

The social media giant is slashing its paid parental leave policy by 90 percent in some cases, according to new reports.

SHRM

Martin Nutty Jun 5, 2023

13) Increasingly #Twitter looks like a seedy, battered, casino property. There are plenty of adds for erectile dysfunction and bongs likely encouraging mainstream advertsiers to stay away. Or might it be the bigotry encourage by #ElonMusk under the guise of #FreeSpeech?

The #NYT is out with a story based on an internal presentation from Twitter showing a 59% decline in YOY ad revenues for April.

All is clearly not well

#TwitterMigration #Twexit

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/05/technology/twitter-ad-sales-musk.html

Twitter’s U.S. Ad Sales Plunge 59% as Woes Continue

In internal forecasts, the company projected that ad sales would keep declining, handing a tough challenge to its new chief executive.

The New York Times

Martin Nutty Jul 5, 2023

14) Another clownish misstep from #Twitter is drawing to a close. Clearly an attempt to force people to register on the site, I imagine the hope was to increase the MAUs

#TwitterMigration #Twexit

https://techcrunch.com/2023/07/05/twitter-silently-removes-login-requirement-for-viewing-tweets/

TechCrunch is part of the Yahoo family of brands

Martin Nutty Jul 6, 2023

15) Meanwhile the Facebook/Meta complex has lumbered onto to the stage to take a crack at #Twitter’s microblogging empire

Nice for those who feel they can trust #Zuckerberg. I’m sure he’ll be kind to your personal data even if he’s not as erratic as #Elon

#TwitterMigration #Twexit

https://www.irishtimes.com/technology/big-tech/2023/07/06/threads-app-metas-twitter-rival-logs-five-million-users-in-first-four-hours-after-going-live/

Threads app: Meta’s Twitter rival logs five million users in first four hours after going live

Instagram-linked app rolls out in US and UK but is unavailable in EU over regulatory concerns

The Irish Times

Martin Nutty Jul 9, 2023

16) Yup that’s a real good look for #Twitter. So much for the virtue of #BlueCheckMarks. Now that designation has become a symbol for #disinformation

#Twexit #TwitterMigration #Ukraine

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-66113460

Twitter Blue accounts fuel Ukraine War misinformation

False and misleading claims about the war in Ukraine are being widely shared.

BBC News

Martin Nutty Jul 9, 2023

17) I think this cartoon from Bruce MacKinnon captures the current state of #Twitter and #ElonMusk’s judicious approach to managing a prime #SocialMedia property

#TwitterMigration #Twexit

https://www.saltwire.com/atlantic-canada/opinion/bruce-mackinnon-cartoon-bittertwitterpill-to-swallow-100788815/

BRUCE MacKINNON CARTOON: #BitterTwitterPill to swallow

Explore stories from Atlantic Canada.

Saltwire Network

Martin Nutty Jul 9, 2023

18) How much do people dislike #Twitter? Enough for 70 million users to sign up for #Threads two days into it’s launch!! That’s the equivalent of 15% - 20% of Twitter’s active users.

How many of those 70 million know that threads is part of the #Meta, sell your data to anyone complex, is a question that is likely not on the radar.

We might be at an odd moment when #Zuckerberg is considered a benign #SocialMedia actor compared to #ElonMusk

#TwitterMigration

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-07-07/meta-s-threads-has-70-million-signups-surprising-zuckerberg

Meta’s Threads Has 70 Million Signups, Surprising Zuckerberg

Meta Platforms Inc.’s new social media app Threads has garnered 70 million users in just two days after its launch, a sign of enthusiasm that Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg said was “way beyond our expectations.”

Bloomberg

Martin Nutty Jul 9, 2023

19) Speaking of #Meta and #Zuckerberg, Fast Company is out with a review of #Threads and it’s certainly not complementary.

Pretty surprising that the app was launched without support for #HashTags!

#TwitterMigration #TwitterExodus #Twitter

https://www.fastcompany.com/90919575/zuckerberg-one-job-threads-ux

Martin Nutty Jul 12, 2023

20) #Twitter is not worried about the reported 100 million #Threads signups, it’s just blocking URL’s which reference the new #Meta service.

Disappointing to see so many people jumping from one #SocialMedia oligarch to another. Do they really think that #Zuckerberg can be relied on to be less willful than #ElonMusk?

#TwitterExodus #TwitterMigration

https://techcrunch.com/2023/07/11/twitter-blocks-links-to-rival-threads-while-ceo-downplays-reports-of-traffic-decline/

TechCrunch is part of the Yahoo family of brands

Martin Nutty Jul 12, 2023

21) How far along the #Twitter wrecking curve are we?

@lopezlinette has the detailed litany and when gathered together, rather than from the daily assault of #Elonmusk’s narcissistic foolishness, it’s even more damning

That said, there is no alternative that has an obvious lead in supplanting the #BirdSite, plenty of contenders, but they’re just nibbling so far.

https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-killed-twitter-irrelevant-meta-threads-debt-mark-zuckerberg-2023-7

Elon Musk hasn't killed Twitter, he's just made it irrelevant

From rate limits to Threads, it's clear that Elon Musk's "new and improved" Twitter is losing the one thing that made it special.

Insider

Martin Nutty Jul 13, 2023

22) Looks like @catvalente took unfiltered dictation from my brain as we watched the #Musk vs #Zuckerberg which personal data sucking #oligarch do you want to support, play out

Does anyone get it?

Seriously I wish I could write with as much comedic profanity and stay on point at the same time

#TwitterMigration #TwitterExodus

https://catvalente.substack.com/p/mark-fking-zuckerberg-is-not-your

Mark F***king Zuckerberg Is Not Your Friend

You know, I had other things I wanted to yell about.

Welcome to Garbagetown

Alastair McKinstry Jul 12, 2023

@mnutty At this stage I think its just people taking a look. I think the numbers in a few weeks are more significant; its trivial to examine Threads (if you've an Insta account and outside the EU).

@amckinstry @mnutty
It's also whether Meta even gives a damn considering they need to atleast get some features integrated if they want to even compete.

RedFossa Jul 9, 2023

@mnutty Hard to believe in 2023 someone would launch a social platform without a working search engine.

The decision to launch by first preloading with corporate brands and plastic personality influencers gave the site an instant artificial, astroturfing vibe. Threads is Diet Twitter, full of chemicals and artificial sweeteners.

Jim Remsik Jul 9, 2023

@mnutty That’s a feature of those who funded it. Perception of authority but with whichever narrative they want amplified.

Martin Nutty Jul 9, 2023

@jremsikjr Not sure I’d want to be associated with a #BlueCheckMark these days given the level of bile surging through #Twitter these days. To some degree, subscribing to this service is endorsing #racism, #homophobia etc

Not My Job Jul 5, 2023

@mnutty Irritating, but did not force this browser to register! Another Leon flop…

alchemistmuffin Jun 5, 2023

@mnutty the ads on the crappy bird site is getting much shadier. And all goes to show that dictator Musk and his people are getting super desperate for money that they are willing to take it from any advertisers, all because the grand plan of new Blue has backfired big time.

And the big time spenders that was with Twitter before they bailed, they ain’t coming up or not going to spend much money anymore because they don’t trust or super hate Musk to the core.

Martin Nutty Jun 7, 2023

@alchemistmuffin

I think thats an entirely fair assessment of where Twitter is right now. I'd also add that the platform has been wobbly from a technical point of view over the last few months. In true I'm surprised on a level that it has had an extended major outage, but that may come

Ní Chorra May 3, 2023

@mnutty Most well established, high profile institutions respond favorably to threats... or do they? 😂

Shephallmassive May 1, 2023

@mnutty yes I think the BBC should rethink its “follow us on the birdsite” approach - not clear why BBC don’t manage their own mastodon server. The age of using private uncontrolled off shored social media platforms for a national comms infrastructure was always a bit risky in hindsight really.

Martin Nutty May 1, 2023

@Shephallmassive

Totally agree with your assessment, so much so that I made a short #podcast episode to that effect

https://mastodon.ie/@mnutty/109525529932612132

Martin Nutty (@[email protected])

Attached: 1 image Why I think Big Media companies need to make the move to #Mastodon Do they really want #ElonMusk calling the shots? Revolution is never cheap, better that than kissing Elon’s ring #Twitter #TwitterMigration #Twexit #FreeSpeech #Journalism #News

mastodon.ie

Joe 📷 🖖🤨May 1, 2023

@mnutty It must feels nice for the MTA to be able to complain about *something else* being unreliable…

Martin Nutty May 1, 2023

@Joe LOL

Gerard Cunningham ✒️Apr 29, 2023

@mnutty Jack probably rues holding on to TWTR stock which has tanked in value since the takeover, instead of taking cash.

Martin Nutty Apr 29, 2023

@faduda Apparently he retained a $1 billion investment. At best, that has been cut in half. Difficult to know exactly how that stake should now be valued. There’s a whole bunch of other folks that can’t be thrilled either

https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/12/24/elon-musk-twitter-funders/

Here’s who helped Elon Musk buy Twitter

Elon Musk didn't buy Twitter on his own. From Qatar to Jack Dorsey and Binance, meet the people who helped fund the acquisition.

The Washington Post

🌲🧿 "Max"t💽d🏵️n 🔎🍄Apr 29, 2023

@mnutty Bullshit. These fucks have always been on the same team.

Barry Schwartz 🫖May 1, 2023

@mnutty BINGO!

Drea Apr 26, 2023

@mnutty What I’ve really liked about Mastodon is I’m effectively making my own “algorithm” by following tags that interest me and making my own lists that show things in chronological order. The result has been content that I actually find much more engaging and interesting. Twitter always pushed a lot of crap that I didn’t care about.

Martin Nutty Apr 26, 2023

Agree with you there. I’d like to see better support in #Mastodon apps for lists. Tracking combinations of hashtags and user accounts is really powerful and could give the network an edge over #Twitter. I haven’t see a good #app implementation yet

Drea Apr 26, 2023

@mnutty I use @MonaApp and love it but agree combining these would be amazing. I’ve often wanted to create a list of both certain hashtags and user accounts. That would BE SO COOL.

Martin Nutty Apr 26, 2023

@andricheli @MonaApp

I’ll have to check that one out.

I use @MetaText and have used #MastodonApp and @tootapp

None of them provide a rich interface to easily configure lists simply comprised of multiple related hashtags. Never mind combining accounts and hashtags together - not sure if that is possible given the underlying #Mastodon data model. If not it should be a feature given the importance of discovery

Drea Apr 26, 2023

@mnutty @MonaApp @MetaText @tootapp I’ve tried ALL the Mastodon apps (was cycling through 9 of them at one point). @MonaApp was the one I kept coming back to and preferred overall, so now it’s the only one on my phone. @IceCubesApp was a close second for me, but the endless themes and customization options in Mona really won me over. Also has a great Mac app.

Sami Seppo Apr 26, 2023

@mnutty @andricheli A combination of following hashtags and users really is a powerful and highly recommended practise, 👍

...but unfortunately following tags on Lists isn't possible (yet?). 😐

#Mastodon #following #hashtags #tags #list

Martin Nutty Apr 26, 2023

@samiseppo @andricheli

I can follow combinations of hashtags or combinations of usersids using my windows desktop browser.

Most apps support lists populated with constituent userids.

I'm not aware of any app supporting the creation of a list based on the combination of hashtags - yet I can effectively do that on my desktop.

All that said, combinations of both are where the real power is especially in the absence of an algorithm

Sami Seppo Apr 26, 2023

@mnutty @andricheli Then there is Calckey – a new Fediverse platform – offering a feature also for untagged keywords to get filtered in/out for your attention/ignorance. This approach might auto-comb toots a bit too abundantly. But used more consideredly, might be truly advantageous too.

It also enables to add an unfollowed user to a List, 👍

...but a big con SO FAR on Calckey is the lack of hashtag following. 😒

#Calckey #Fediverse #Lists

Sami Seppo Apr 26, 2023

@mnutty @andricheli

Fortunately though, the development on #Calckey seems to happen rapidly rather than sluggsihly .

A compromising combination between deeply delibarate and whoppingbly warp-speedidly is probably a good thing. 🤔