So, Elon Musk bought Twitter eventually, a little bit less than a month ago. Here I want to summarise all the things that went south since then. I’ve a feeling that this would kill the social media even more.

If you read my blog before, you may know that I’ve been a Twitter-addict once, back in 2010. I’ve wrote a story about that, called ‘How I Fought My Twitter Addiction’.

• I was a moderate user since then, but I could control how much I’m there. With some exceptions, e.g. when the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine had started, back in February.

‘Enhancements’ #

First, let me collect the changes since Elon bought Twitter. I call them ‘enhancements’. You know, irony.

• 2022 Nov: Verification blue-marks are a paid service now
  • easily manipulated
  • Stephen King drama
  • impersonalisation
  • Conspiracy theories
  • so bots can accelerate any post, unnoticed
• Weird re-branding to X
• Likes are hidden
  • so bots can accelerate any post even more, even more unnoticed
• Various persistent ‘bugs’
  • You cannot like Pekka’s post, try it yourself! It is present for over a year.
• 2024-09-23, X will let people you’ve blocked see your posts

…to be updated

Blue Marks #

Following the acquisition of Twitter by Elon Musk on October 28, 2022, Musk told Twitter employees to introduce paid verification by November 7 through Twitter Blue.

Some Extra Links #

• The Verge: How Donald Trump and Elon Musk killed Twitter, with Marty Baron and Zoe Schiffer
  • My cover image is taken from The Verge, as I like this idea of this new-X symbol killing the bird very much. Usually, I try to make a completely mine unique image. I modified it slightly, so its twisted now, as I want to add this twisted meaning too.