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Could Twitter Be Better Off as a Nonprofit?

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Re: Could Twitter Be Better Off as a Nonprofit?

#41

Post by Tempest1981 »

oldmanjay wrote: post #28
DigitalJack wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The phrase "x is unparalleled" implies uniqueness by virtue of the value it provides. GP is basically saying twitter has accumulated a vast wealth of social data that is immensely valuable to the research community.

Sounds like the academic community should be charged for access to the data, if there is so much value in there.

The media is clearly benefiting, with many stories backed by a Donald Trump tweet. But if the tweets weren't free to begin with, they might not be as newsworthy.

Re: Could Twitter Be Better Off as a Nonprofit?

#43

Post by eropple »

CoryG89 wrote: post #37
eropple wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do you think they should unban people who threaten to rape and kill people because they disagree about video games? If so, why?

I don't necessarily hold this view, but I can see the merit in it. I tend to lean toward purist as far as free speech goes. Slippery slope arguments and what not. Personally, I like the concept of outsourcing the policing/moderation of a community to the community itself. I think what online forums do by promoting moderators from the long time, trusted user base is a step in the right direction. The upvote/downvote s…

Great freedoms come with great responsibilities. I tend to think that free speech works only when the consequences of using that free speech...y'know...exist. In a universe of pseudonymity and anonymity, those consequences don't exist. Even when you are literally committing the crime of assault (friendly reminder: assault is the threat of violence, battery is the violence) against somebody because they have the temerity to be a woman who makes video games or a black man who criticizes the police on the Internet.

To that end, showing people the door seems eminently reasonable. You aren't going to actually be able to visit upon them the prosecution (again, for literal and extant crimes) that they have earned for themselves, but you can, and IMO should, cut them out of the social universe that you undertake to create and protect.

Re: Could Twitter Be Better Off as a Nonprofit?

#44

Post by meira »

azinman2 wrote: post #34
mtgx wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not quite. Have we already forgotten how Twitter closed-off most third-party clients a few years ago, that were innovating on top of Twitter? http://www.theverge.com/2012/7/9/3135406/twitter-api-open-cl...

More importantly twitter profiles are public by default. That's not true for most social media.

More importantly to who? To me and all developers that I know, this isn't the most important. A good and reliable API is.

Re: Could Twitter Be Better Off as a Nonprofit?

#45

Post by chimeracoder »

azinman2 wrote: post #34
mtgx wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not quite. Have we already forgotten how Twitter closed-off most third-party clients a few years ago, that were innovating on top of Twitter? http://www.theverge.com/2012/7/9/3135406/twitter-api-open-cl...

More importantly twitter profiles are public by default. That's not true for most social media.

> More importantly twitter profiles are public by default. That's not true for most social media.

Maybe, but now logged-out users (or users without an account) cannot see more than the last few tweets on an account.

Twitter is a lot less open than it was two or three years ago, and while it's more public-by-default than Facebook, it's less public-by-default than Blogger was.

Re: Could Twitter Be Better Off as a Nonprofit?

#46

Post by laurencei »

I'm not going to pretend you can run Twitter on an DigitalOcean box for $40pm with one guy.

But when I see things like $100m in losses - I can't help but feel there is a real opportunity for Twitter to streamline its engineering and operational costs?

Is there a breakdown available of where/how they spend their money?

Re: Could Twitter Be Better Off as a Nonprofit?

#47

Post by edraferi »

meira wrote: post #40

Twitter betrayed all developers that relied on their API, and also helped overthrow legitimate governments and put middle east and ukraine in chaos. Their failure is well deserved and should help other startups to not fuck with everybody while pretending to help (Google and Facebook, are you the next?)

As a non-profit, Twitter could focus on being ubiquitous as possible. That could lead to restoring the original API rules.

Re: Could Twitter Be Better Off as a Nonprofit?

#48

Post by cerrelio »

kharms wrote: post #2

This would be fantastic. Twitter's utility is in its open (inherently less profitable) nature. As a data source for academic study it's unparalleled.

Maybe they can pair up with Elsevier to charge outrageous subscription fees for access to the data to help it become profitable.

Re: Could Twitter Be Better Off as a Nonprofit?

#49

Post by RileyKyeden »

Rustydave wrote: post #12

How about charging users?. Like monthly plans etc.

Most of the people I talk to on Twitter don't have money to spare. They're the kind of people who have to toss up a fundraiser to make rent because they had a surprise medical bill or car repair.

Re: Could Twitter Be Better Off as a Nonprofit?

#50

Post by nowarninglabel »

mathattack wrote: post #42

Hard to imagine Twitter working as a non-profit when so much compensation is tied to equity.

Exactly. Most people who work for non-profits do so out of passion for the company and mission because the salaries often are going to be about 80% of market rate. With no equity to compensate with either, you are left mostly with the believers (or the less optimal workers).

I'm not sure I see Twitter's mission being strong enough to attract the developers it needs if it were to become a non-profit. Further, while there are large media grants out there, I don't really see a huge pool of capital willing to cover Twitter's operational costs with donations.

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