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I wrote the "assuming he could" preamble because I agree with you that he can't pull the trigger on Twitter. And you're probably right about the atmosphere on

I wrote the "assuming he could" preamble because I agree with you that he can't pull the trigger on Twitter. And you're probably right about the atmosphere on Gab not allowing him to use that platform to get the same reach. But Facebook. That's a platform with more subscribers than Twitter. Way more. 3 times as many in the U.S. So, going with the premise that Trump was able to nuke twitter, how quickly do you think Zuckerberg is going to pick a fight with him if he decides to post there 30 times a day instead of at twitter? I'm not so sure all that much.

michaelmrose 6y ago
I guess one question is why isn't he using facebook right now if its an even better platform? Facebook is now that thing that I only ever log into on my computer when I want to talk to family members and ignore people sharing dumb things. Twitter is that thing that chimes 2 seconds after someone I am interested says something interesting. I don't think they are the same thing at ALL.
- function_seven 6y ago
  They're not the same, that's true. What drew him to twitter was exactly what you describe: people get notified 2 seconds after he sends something out. The whole use-case of following public figures. That wasn't a thing (as far as I know) on Facebook back then. You had to have a 2-way connection ("be friends") with each person you followed. (I think? I may be misremembering.) It's how he won the presidency. But now the power structure is different. The President and his followers can turn Facebook into something akin to twitter just by using it that way. The mechanics of any given service aren't written in stone. Facebook could easily ping your phone whenever someone you follow posts something new. Or Instagram, Snapchat, etc.
  - michaelmrose 6y ago
    Even if HE used it that way it would still most likely be pinging me about useless crap. Trump can lose the presidency faster than facebook can turn into twitter.

michaelmrose 6y ago

I guess one question is why isn't he using facebook right now if its an even better platform? Facebook is now that thing that I only ever log into on my computer when I want to talk to family members and ignore people sharing dumb things. Twitter is that thing that chimes 2 seconds after someone I am interested says something interesting. I don't think they are the same thing at ALL.

function_seven 6y ago
They're not the same, that's true. What drew him to twitter was exactly what you describe: people get notified 2 seconds after he sends something out. The whole use-case of following public figures. That wasn't a thing (as far as I know) on Facebook back then. You had to have a 2-way connection ("be friends") with each person you followed. (I think? I may be misremembering.) It's how he won the presidency. But now the power structure is different. The President and his followers can turn Facebook into something akin to twitter just by using it that way. The mechanics of any given service aren't written in stone. Facebook could easily ping your phone whenever someone you follow posts something new. Or Instagram, Snapchat, etc.
- michaelmrose 6y ago
  Even if HE used it that way it would still most likely be pinging me about useless crap. Trump can lose the presidency faster than facebook can turn into twitter.