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Quitting Twitter

blog.nindalf.com

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Re: Quitting Twitter

#91

Post by firebaze »

firebaze wrote: post #21
tinyhouse wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Toxicity on twitter is huge but once you unfollow toxic users (or any user who tweets nonsense too often) things look much better. Tbh I don't use twitter to engage in conversations. I use it mostly to consume interesting content.

You're still supporting a platform where avoiding toxic content is active mental work.

Apparently this comment is wrong according to votes. Logically, I'm wrong by either:

* assuming that Twitter is mostly toxic

* or that avoiding toxicity isn't mental work

What is it where I'm wrong, and if so, why?

Re: Quitting Twitter

#92

Post by picks_at_nits »

Nextgrid wrote: post #68
picks_at_nits wrote: post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We don't get to declare what Twitter is or isn't. It has evolved over time from a kind of microblogging platform into an algorithmic-timeline social network. As a user, I don't care for it much, but in no way is it "defective." It does what it does, and if we don't like it, it's our obligation to make sure the door doesn't hit us in the ass on our way out. The thing we have to understand is that we who want a microbl…

The concept of following still (at least to me) implies seeing all the content said person is posting. Twitter liberally uses the word "follow" but then doesn't deliver. They are not being transparent about your experience being manipulated for the purposes of generating engagement either. Most non-technical people don't immediately associate "contains ads" with "will use all kinds of nasty tricks to make you spend m…

Are they? The amounts of arguments and toxicity on that despicable website (enough to prompt highly-upvoted posts about quitting the website every so often) suggests they aren't?

This is a very interesting point, to which I will say that people who complain or praise any product are always the vocal minority.

As I alluded to in another reply, we regularly get impassioned posts and comments about what's wrong with iOS on HN, and yet we know for a fact that many, many, MANY people are happy with their iPhones, iPads, and Apple Watches.

Re: Quitting Twitter

#93

Post by ThankYouBernard »

garmaine wrote: post #79
liminal wrote: post #45

I check Twitter to learn what I should be outraged about. I literally say to myself "I wonder what I should be outraged about today?" and then lo and behold, Twitter tells me. I don't know where else to get that information. I wish I did, since Twitter is very inefficient with too many people retweeting the same tidbit so they can try their hand at a witty rejoinder. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the rejoinders, but th…

Why do you want to be outraged?

Why do you not want to be outraged? Do you have a source to say that being not outraged is better than being outraged?

Re: Quitting Twitter

#94

Post by gonehome »

randomsearch wrote: post #89
gonehome wrote: post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah if you aggressively block, unfollow, and curate Twitter can be really great. I think it's super cool to be able to interact with different people doing interesting things (a little like HN, but it's easier to remember who the people are where as on HN I never remember 99% of the usernames in threads).

The problem I found with blocking and muting people is that twitter continues to show tweets from people I don’t follow - entirely in the hope of engaging me of course, which most of the time means trying to pull me into an argument.

Sometimes it introduces you to new people though that are interesting to follow (usually because people in your network liked their post or something). I find this generally valuable.

If you want to be extreme about it, you can put everyone in lists and then this won't happen. You can also use a third party client that doesn't do this.

My main Twitter complaint is the ads. There are so many and they suck. I'd much rather have Twitter premium that removes the ads.

Re: Quitting Twitter

#95

Post by Nextgrid »

picks_at_nits wrote: post #86
Nextgrid wrote: post #68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The concept of following still (at least to me) implies seeing all the content said person is posting. Twitter liberally uses the word "follow" but then doesn't deliver. They are not being transparent about your experience being manipulated for the purposes of generating engagement either. Most non-technical people don't immediately associate "contains ads" with "will use all kinds of nasty tricks to make you spend m…

They are not being transparent about your experience being manipulated for the purposes of generating engagement either. Most non-technical people don't immediately associate "contains ads" with "will use all kinds of nasty tricks to make you spend more time looking at said ads". You have something there that applies to all of social media (and just because others do it doesn't make it ok). Algorithms are black boxes…

The fact that some people are blind to these issues doesn't mean we shouldn't be calling out unethical, malicious, misleading or defective behavior and/or software.

Re: Quitting Twitter

#96

Post by hombre_fatal »

minikites wrote: post #38
kevinherron wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Life is a platform that requires active work to avoid toxic content.

Twitter could be doing so much more to fix this problem. It's abundantly clear that "hands off" moderation doesn't work. It doesn't work for Twitter, it doesn't work for Facebook, it doesn't work for any shared social space online or offline.

Twitter actively encourages the outrage machine. They aren't an organization that just needs to work a bit harder.

They tell you when your tweets are reported even if no action is taken, just to make you mad that people are reporting you.

They tell you when someone blocks you and you can't visit their twitter anymore even though you can if you log out.

Who would build a system like this unless they wanted to fuel drama?

Re: Quitting Twitter

#97

Post by xboxnolifes »

7800 wrote: post #83
PragmaticPulp wrote: post #71

My approach to Twitter has been to aggressively unfollow anyone posting content that I don’t want to be consuming. That ranges from constantly dunking on every opportunity to people who simply tweet too many times per day. The best content and discussion comes from small groups of people with similar interests who aren’t using Twitter simply to fill time or to build their personal brand. Removing everyone else doesn’…

Doesn’t this by definition mean that you’re in a social media bubble with those who agree with you?

Following that logic, you are in a bubble in any situation except where you have a feed of every single person's tweets. I don't think that is a very sustainable view.

Re: Quitting Twitter

#98

Post by hntrader »

randomsearch wrote: post #89
gonehome wrote: post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah if you aggressively block, unfollow, and curate Twitter can be really great. I think it's super cool to be able to interact with different people doing interesting things (a little like HN, but it's easier to remember who the people are where as on HN I never remember 99% of the usernames in threads).

The problem I found with blocking and muting people is that twitter continues to show tweets from people I don’t follow - entirely in the hope of engaging me of course, which most of the time means trying to pull me into an argument.

Using twitter lists might solve that?

Re: Quitting Twitter

#99

Post by jasonmp85 »

7800 wrote: post #83
PragmaticPulp wrote: post #71

My approach to Twitter has been to aggressively unfollow anyone posting content that I don’t want to be consuming. That ranges from constantly dunking on every opportunity to people who simply tweet too many times per day. The best content and discussion comes from small groups of people with similar interests who aren’t using Twitter simply to fill time or to build their personal brand. Removing everyone else doesn’…

Doesn’t this by definition mean that you’re in a social media bubble with those who agree with you?

I challenge you to explain why this matters.

Re: Quitting Twitter

#100

Post by _qulr »

paulhallett wrote: post #82

I quit about six months ago. The majority of people I followed, I felt obligated to follow, in order to keep ahead of social issues. But the toll of "doom scrolling" constant negative/angry/depressed posts really hammered my own mental health. I also developed a habit of refreshing the feed on my phone every five minutes. I quit, and I found myself lost when I picked up my phone, like a lingering habit (I see someone…

> I felt like I had to show I was caring and keeping track of it.

I don't think this is necessary. A lot of people tweet about purely "professional" subjects and never tweet about social issues. If you stick to that, your followers will know what (and what not) to expect.

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