11 ms·

What Is Trump Worth to Twitter? One Analyst Estimates $2B

89 points by imartin2k 9y ago

mc32 9y ago
The thing that bothers me about twitter is the approval seeking aspect of it. In amateur photography there is bokeh to kick around, in Twitter it's throwing anything and everything to either get a rise out of people or to get approving nods. It's been reduced to a popularity contest and the jocks and their fans only want their voices and no one else's. Even simply informational stuff is presented as some big expose and we should be aghast at the realization. It's hard to keep on digesting this kind of communication. Nevermind actual politics which degenerates almost exponentially fast. OMG, they've been putting wax on old apples to make them look appealing on market shelves! This graduating class is having one if the most challenging times getting offers and it's because [reason].
- TACIXAT 9y ago
  Twitter really feels like a broadcast / subscribe network to me. Unless you're a celebrity, you aren't getting significant interaction on there, and interaction is what I use social networks for. Whenever I log in there it is just a news feed of who made the most noise today. I can leave a witty comment and some people might see it, maybe a few more would argue against it if it's incendiary, but at the end of the day it's mostly just consuming. It leaves me wanting something more and because of that I almost never use my Twitter account.
  - gozur88 9y ago
    The amazing thing about Twitter is even though it really is publish/subscribe for celebrities, many people following celebrity feeds feel like it's two-way communication. Which is crazy.
chris_wot 9y ago
Ultimately, Trump is what will kill Twitter. All the awful, dreadful, inane and stupid things, all coalesced into the most powerful twitter abuser of them all. Thanks Twitter!
- samdoidge 9y ago
  He brings a lot of attention, Trump switching to another platform would be a real blow for Twitter. If it is to a platform more friendly to free speech, it could be real competition for Twitter.
  - jmkni 9y ago
    I'm surprised somebody like Steve Bannon hasn't tried to launch an alternative and move Trump to it.
    - docdeek 9y ago
      Trump moving to Gab would be interesting both for the effect it would have on Twitter’s valuation and on the media profile of Gab as a Twitter-like service. Trump would have the ‘pull’ to draw attention to Gab and the media would feel themselves compelled to cover it.
      - PeachPlum 9y ago
        Gab was booted off the Google Play store already https://techcrunch.com/2017/08/17/alt-social-network-gab-booted-from-google-play-store-for-hate-speech/ https://techcrunch.com/2017/08/17/alt-social-network-gab-boo... Google made this statement : > In order to be on the Play Store, social networking apps need to demonstrate a sufficient level of moderation, including for content that encourages violence and advocates hate against groups of people. This is a long-standing rule and clearly stated in our developer policies. Developers always have the opportunity to appeal a suspension and may have their apps reinstated if they’ve addressed the policy violations and are compliant with our Developer Program Policies. Somehow though, Twitter remains so we can enjoy the friendly discourse on the hashtag #KillWhites https://twitter.com/search?q=%23KillWhites&src=typd https://twitter.com/search?q=%23KillWhites&src=typd You don't even need to type it, enter #KillAll into the search box and enjoy the auto suggestion Rules for thee, not for me.
        hellbanner 9y ago
grabcocque 9y ago
It does rather cement in people's mind the association that Twitter is now mostly a haven for bullying, trolling and harassment. Something POTUS uses twitter for regularly. Twitter had been trying to shake off the negative image it had acquired, but Trump's unchecked behaviour is rather putting paid to those hopes. Question is if there's sustainable business in being the largest interpersonal abuse platform on the net.
- nailer 9y ago
  Has Trump ever doxxed anyone? Encouraged others to dox or harass? I hate him but AFAICT most of his Tweets are simply disliking public figures, which isn't generally considered harassment.
  - sergiotapia 9y ago
    His tweets are actually considered violence by some. But to answer your question, he has never doxxed anyone.
    - gozur88 9y ago
      People who consider words to be violence aren't worth paying attention to, particularly since these are the same people who think violence in the service of their own ideology is speech.
  - wutwutwutwut 9y ago
    Why wouldn't it be harassment bullying a public figure?
    - pluma 9y ago
      I'm not agreeing with the assertion in this case, but there are very different standards for people "of public interest" and ordinary common folk. This distinction is made in a lot of places, including European privacy laws e.g. in Germany.
  - 9y ago
mannigfaltig 9y ago
Maybe that is also the reason why Trump's account was not banned for violating the terms of service yet? https://twitter.com/kalpenn/status/896013769410740224?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw https://twitter.com/kalpenn/status/896013769410740224?ref_sr...
- nailer 9y ago
  This is probably indicative of need for a way of better wording a ToS, which probably don't mean to stop the judicial system, police or military from doing their jobs, or for that matter boxers or MMArtists.
- MadSax 9y ago
  What has trump done that violated their ToS?
  - tuxt 9y ago
    Threatening other people?
    - MadSax 9y ago
      That's absurd and petty. First, it was a warning not a threat, nor is Trump merely a private citizen with no responsibility to our national defense.
    - tertius 9y ago
      I believe that it's not illegal for the president to do that. (Whether you or I like it or not.) It is however illegal for me to do it. And that's likely where the TOS rule comes from. We're struggling with a spirit of the law, letter of the law issue here.
      - xutopia 9y ago
        Illegal no... against the ToS yes.
kennysmoothx 9y ago
Twitter has changed a lot, particularly throughout this past election cycle. Once twitter made the change to showcase News in the "Moments" section of their platform a few years ago, Twitter content started getting very politicized and more news-centric. I really like twitter, and ultimately what you see on your TL is directly who/what you follow, however Twitter's change to try to be a "live news conversation" has really changed the feeling of Twitter and politics are really dominating most of the conversations on Twitter at this moment.
- maxerickson 9y ago
  I don't think it had anything much to do with the Moments feature.
  - kennysmoothx 9y ago
    Twitter's trending tab was quitenssential in starting specific conversations on twitter. It's what highlights particular events such award shows; and what starts site wide conversations by making a hashtag popular. The trending aspect of twitter was (and still is to some degree) what got everyone on twitter talking and engaging on the same topics. The trending tab slowly turned into the Moments tab, and instead of just highlighting hashtags they also highlighted current events and news (the most popular ones being political at the moment) Now instead of engaging people in popular hashtags twitter is engaging them in currents events(news), and this what dominates the majority of conversations. So I do believe the Moments tab had a lot to do with the change in tone on the platform.
- pluma 9y ago
  The worst part, as a non-American, it's always implied you should care and take action but there's practically nothing you can do or actually have to do so you're left feeling guilty, miserable and unfulfilled. This was already pretty much the case before but coupled with the rise of outrage culture and the politicisation of Twitter, it's like a constant emotional drain. I find myself having strong opinions on topics I don't care about and have no stake in, just because people on the Internet should at each other, telling everyone they're a bad person if they aren't upset.
tedmiston 9y ago
How long until he starts running sponsored posts?
- jacquesm 9y ago
  We're way past that point. http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/donald-trump-twitter-ivanka-nordstrom-potus-tweets-account-retweet-rt-a7570101.html http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/new...
r0fl 9y ago
The only reason I still have Twitter is to see what crazy thing trump will say next! I've been saying for a while that if trump were to stop tweeting the usage would plummet
- ThomPete 9y ago
  I don't actually think thats true. Most people aren't on Twitter. The media is and they report in their own channels. Twitters problems or success has nothing to do with Trump what so ever.
eddiecalzone 9y ago
Twitter is the White House press secretary. At least the deleted tweets are being preserved (according to the WH anyway). https://www.theverge.com/2017/4/3/15168956/donald-trump-twitter-white-house-archives-tweets https://www.theverge.com/2017/4/3/15168956/donald-trump-twit...
- wutwutwutwut 9y ago
  There is no correlation between WH claims and facts.
hathym 9y ago
If I was Trump, I would short twitter stock and delete my account.
- sumedh 9y ago
  Access to his millions of followers is worth more than the money he will make following your strategy.
  - hathym 9y ago
    The next day, I would buy twitter stocks and create another account :)
    - ghostbrainalpha 9y ago
      I love it. Leaves him venerable to the FCC though. However he could invest heavily into a startup competitor. Something like Bright Bart + Twitter, then delete his account and move his Tweets onto a platform his base would support and that he owns a significant percentage of. They could either continue to develop this Alt-Right Twitter, or sell quickly back to Twitter, and no FCC regulations would have been violated.
JumpCrisscross 9y ago
I'm coming to the conclusion that we can have rapid, thoughtless discourse à la Twitter or painfully slow communal deliberation of views and opinions drawn from a common, if gate-kept, set of facts; the kind of deliberation that underpins democracy. I don't say this flippantly. I just don't think the difference in virality between outrage, which requires no substantiation to provoke, and argument fares well with scaling.
- mc32 9y ago
  You make a good point. Part of the problem with Twitter when it comes to discussion is that it does not lend itself to drawn out lengthy presentations, but the opposite. And in addition, it allows you to throw mud, unsubstantiated, as truth. It's like "yo momma" jokes. Whoever is quick to wit with sharp tongue wins, and merit is disproportionally disregarded.
  - Jedd 9y ago
    Almost every medium lets you throw mud, sans substantiation, to great effect. Limiting mud-throwing to 140 characters isn't effective anymore than allowing more than 140 characters of mud conveyance. The problem may be that people need to be convinced (one way or the other) now in less than 140 characters, in which case we're all doomed, as very few stories worth telling can be told in <140 characters. Drawn out - or reasoned, moderate, thoughtful, civil, researched exchanges - are almost a thing of the past. No one has time for that kind of luxury anymore.
petraeus 9y ago
Twitter is needed precisely because there is nothing like twitter. Where else can you have completely clueless unfactual stream of consciousness garbage being sprouted 24/7? As a libertarian I think this garbage is as much a requirement for a free and stable society as alt-right, neo-left and msm outlets. It provides views and opinions that you don't want to hear but that you probably should know about.

89 points by imartin2k 9y ago

mc32 9y ago

The thing that bothers me about twitter is the approval seeking aspect of it. In amateur photography there is bokeh to kick around, in Twitter it's throwing anything and everything to either get a rise out of people or to get approving nods. It's been reduced to a popularity contest and the jocks and their fans only want their voices and no one else's. Even simply informational stuff is presented as some big expose and we should be aghast at the realization. It's hard to keep on digesting this kind of communication. Nevermind actual politics which degenerates almost exponentially fast. OMG, they've been putting wax on old apples to make them look appealing on market shelves! This graduating class is having one if the most challenging times getting offers and it's because [reason].

TACIXAT 9y ago
Twitter really feels like a broadcast / subscribe network to me. Unless you're a celebrity, you aren't getting significant interaction on there, and interaction is what I use social networks for. Whenever I log in there it is just a news feed of who made the most noise today. I can leave a witty comment and some people might see it, maybe a few more would argue against it if it's incendiary, but at the end of the day it's mostly just consuming. It leaves me wanting something more and because of that I almost never use my Twitter account.
- gozur88 9y ago
  The amazing thing about Twitter is even though it really is publish/subscribe for celebrities, many people following celebrity feeds feel like it's two-way communication. Which is crazy.

chris_wot 9y ago

Ultimately, Trump is what will kill Twitter. All the awful, dreadful, inane and stupid things, all coalesced into the most powerful twitter abuser of them all. Thanks Twitter!

samdoidge 9y ago
He brings a lot of attention, Trump switching to another platform would be a real blow for Twitter. If it is to a platform more friendly to free speech, it could be real competition for Twitter.
- jmkni 9y ago
  I'm surprised somebody like Steve Bannon hasn't tried to launch an alternative and move Trump to it.
  - docdeek 9y ago
    Trump moving to Gab would be interesting both for the effect it would have on Twitter’s valuation and on the media profile of Gab as a Twitter-like service. Trump would have the ‘pull’ to draw attention to Gab and the media would feel themselves compelled to cover it.
    - PeachPlum 9y ago
      Gab was booted off the Google Play store already https://techcrunch.com/2017/08/17/alt-social-network-gab-booted-from-google-play-store-for-hate-speech/ https://techcrunch.com/2017/08/17/alt-social-network-gab-boo... Google made this statement : > In order to be on the Play Store, social networking apps need to demonstrate a sufficient level of moderation, including for content that encourages violence and advocates hate against groups of people. This is a long-standing rule and clearly stated in our developer policies. Developers always have the opportunity to appeal a suspension and may have their apps reinstated if they’ve addressed the policy violations and are compliant with our Developer Program Policies. Somehow though, Twitter remains so we can enjoy the friendly discourse on the hashtag #KillWhites https://twitter.com/search?q=%23KillWhites&src=typd https://twitter.com/search?q=%23KillWhites&src=typd You don't even need to type it, enter #KillAll into the search box and enjoy the auto suggestion Rules for thee, not for me.
      - hellbanner 9y ago

grabcocque 9y ago

It does rather cement in people's mind the association that Twitter is now mostly a haven for bullying, trolling and harassment. Something POTUS uses twitter for regularly. Twitter had been trying to shake off the negative image it had acquired, but Trump's unchecked behaviour is rather putting paid to those hopes. Question is if there's sustainable business in being the largest interpersonal abuse platform on the net.

nailer 9y ago
Has Trump ever doxxed anyone? Encouraged others to dox or harass? I hate him but AFAICT most of his Tweets are simply disliking public figures, which isn't generally considered harassment.
- sergiotapia 9y ago
  His tweets are actually considered violence by some. But to answer your question, he has never doxxed anyone.
  - gozur88 9y ago
    People who consider words to be violence aren't worth paying attention to, particularly since these are the same people who think violence in the service of their own ideology is speech.
- wutwutwutwut 9y ago
  Why wouldn't it be harassment bullying a public figure?
  - pluma 9y ago
    I'm not agreeing with the assertion in this case, but there are very different standards for people "of public interest" and ordinary common folk. This distinction is made in a lot of places, including European privacy laws e.g. in Germany.
- 9y ago

mannigfaltig 9y ago

Maybe that is also the reason why Trump's account was not banned for violating the terms of service yet? https://twitter.com/kalpenn/status/896013769410740224?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw https://twitter.com/kalpenn/status/896013769410740224?ref_sr...

nailer 9y ago
This is probably indicative of need for a way of better wording a ToS, which probably don't mean to stop the judicial system, police or military from doing their jobs, or for that matter boxers or MMArtists.
MadSax 9y ago
What has trump done that violated their ToS?
- tuxt 9y ago
  Threatening other people?
  - MadSax 9y ago
    That's absurd and petty. First, it was a warning not a threat, nor is Trump merely a private citizen with no responsibility to our national defense.
  - tertius 9y ago
    I believe that it's not illegal for the president to do that. (Whether you or I like it or not.) It is however illegal for me to do it. And that's likely where the TOS rule comes from. We're struggling with a spirit of the law, letter of the law issue here.
    - xutopia 9y ago
      Illegal no... against the ToS yes.

kennysmoothx 9y ago

Twitter has changed a lot, particularly throughout this past election cycle. Once twitter made the change to showcase News in the "Moments" section of their platform a few years ago, Twitter content started getting very politicized and more news-centric. I really like twitter, and ultimately what you see on your TL is directly who/what you follow, however Twitter's change to try to be a "live news conversation" has really changed the feeling of Twitter and politics are really dominating most of the conversations on Twitter at this moment.

maxerickson 9y ago
I don't think it had anything much to do with the Moments feature.
- kennysmoothx 9y ago
  Twitter's trending tab was quitenssential in starting specific conversations on twitter. It's what highlights particular events such award shows; and what starts site wide conversations by making a hashtag popular. The trending aspect of twitter was (and still is to some degree) what got everyone on twitter talking and engaging on the same topics. The trending tab slowly turned into the Moments tab, and instead of just highlighting hashtags they also highlighted current events and news (the most popular ones being political at the moment) Now instead of engaging people in popular hashtags twitter is engaging them in currents events(news), and this what dominates the majority of conversations. So I do believe the Moments tab had a lot to do with the change in tone on the platform.
pluma 9y ago
The worst part, as a non-American, it's always implied you should care and take action but there's practically nothing you can do or actually have to do so you're left feeling guilty, miserable and unfulfilled. This was already pretty much the case before but coupled with the rise of outrage culture and the politicisation of Twitter, it's like a constant emotional drain. I find myself having strong opinions on topics I don't care about and have no stake in, just because people on the Internet should at each other, telling everyone they're a bad person if they aren't upset.

tedmiston 9y ago

How long until he starts running sponsored posts?

jacquesm 9y ago
We're way past that point. http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/donald-trump-twitter-ivanka-nordstrom-potus-tweets-account-retweet-rt-a7570101.html http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/new...

r0fl 9y ago

The only reason I still have Twitter is to see what crazy thing trump will say next! I've been saying for a while that if trump were to stop tweeting the usage would plummet

ThomPete 9y ago
I don't actually think thats true. Most people aren't on Twitter. The media is and they report in their own channels. Twitters problems or success has nothing to do with Trump what so ever.

eddiecalzone 9y ago

Twitter is the White House press secretary. At least the deleted tweets are being preserved (according to the WH anyway). https://www.theverge.com/2017/4/3/15168956/donald-trump-twitter-white-house-archives-tweets https://www.theverge.com/2017/4/3/15168956/donald-trump-twit...

wutwutwutwut 9y ago
There is no correlation between WH claims and facts.

hathym 9y ago

If I was Trump, I would short twitter stock and delete my account.

sumedh 9y ago
Access to his millions of followers is worth more than the money he will make following your strategy.
- hathym 9y ago
  The next day, I would buy twitter stocks and create another account :)
  - ghostbrainalpha 9y ago
    I love it. Leaves him venerable to the FCC though. However he could invest heavily into a startup competitor. Something like Bright Bart + Twitter, then delete his account and move his Tweets onto a platform his base would support and that he owns a significant percentage of. They could either continue to develop this Alt-Right Twitter, or sell quickly back to Twitter, and no FCC regulations would have been violated.

JumpCrisscross 9y ago

I'm coming to the conclusion that we can have rapid, thoughtless discourse à la Twitter or painfully slow communal deliberation of views and opinions drawn from a common, if gate-kept, set of facts; the kind of deliberation that underpins democracy. I don't say this flippantly. I just don't think the difference in virality between outrage, which requires no substantiation to provoke, and argument fares well with scaling.

mc32 9y ago
You make a good point. Part of the problem with Twitter when it comes to discussion is that it does not lend itself to drawn out lengthy presentations, but the opposite. And in addition, it allows you to throw mud, unsubstantiated, as truth. It's like "yo momma" jokes. Whoever is quick to wit with sharp tongue wins, and merit is disproportionally disregarded.
- Jedd 9y ago
  Almost every medium lets you throw mud, sans substantiation, to great effect. Limiting mud-throwing to 140 characters isn't effective anymore than allowing more than 140 characters of mud conveyance. The problem may be that people need to be convinced (one way or the other) now in less than 140 characters, in which case we're all doomed, as very few stories worth telling can be told in <140 characters. Drawn out - or reasoned, moderate, thoughtful, civil, researched exchanges - are almost a thing of the past. No one has time for that kind of luxury anymore.

petraeus 9y ago

Twitter is needed precisely because there is nothing like twitter. Where else can you have completely clueless unfactual stream of consciousness garbage being sprouted 24/7? As a libertarian I think this garbage is as much a requirement for a free and stable society as alt-right, neo-left and msm outlets. It provides views and opinions that you don't want to hear but that you probably should know about.