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Poll: Are you going to leave Twitter after Musk's acquisition?

58 points by rglullis 5y ago

taylodl 5y ago
Missing option: I was on Twitter before, haven’t used it in years, no intention of using it again I suppose there’s also the option: I was on Twitter before, haven’t used it in years, thinking of using it again
YarnWarden 5y ago
Left when they integrated NFTs into PFPs, serious doubts he would unwind that. Though if he does I would join back.
deleted 5y ago
[deleted]
TigeriusKirk 5y ago
Very few people will actually leave Twitter over this. Those saying they will are the mostly likely to be caught in its addictive vortex.
arrakis2021 5y ago
“I’m moving to Canada if Trump gets elected.” Remember that crowd?
- kgwxd 5y ago
  Moving to Canada requires moving out of the US. People can, and mostly do, have a presence on more than one social media platform. This is more (exactly) like "I'm not using Digg anymore if they don't role back the changes", which actually happened.
- cout 5y ago
  I remember the "I'm moving to Canada if Bush gets elected" crowd. Dukakis lost and as far as I remember nobody moved.
- dylan604 5y ago
  That crowd has been around for every presidential election since I was old enough to understand what it meant. Don't remember one person ever carrying out with the threat from either side. However, this comment is a decent litmus test on how I can safely ignore anything from them after that point.
rvz 5y ago
Let's be honest. Not many people are going to leave. Just look at #deletefacebook, #deleteinstagram, #deleteTwitter. They didn't delete anything and stayed on the platform. The shit show must go on.
- mwachs 5y ago
  I think a lot of people did delete Facebook?
wrycoder 5y ago
I might actually get to use my three character username.
Karsteski 5y ago
I may actually start using it depending on what kind of platform it turns into, to be honest.
MangoCoffee 5y ago
why? Elon Musk isn't even running Twitter yet. how about wait and see?
- rglullis 5y ago
  The question is after the acquisition, presumably after changes start happening, so you could respond to the poll with "depends on the changes"
Proven 5y ago
d4mi3n 5y ago
I'd like to call out that individual responses to this don't matter. What matters is if Twitter remains a place for public discourse. So long as we allow public discourse to happen on private platforms that aren't held responsible for maintaining the availability, accountability, and freedom (as in speech) of these public forums, Twitter will continue to be problematic. Whether it's Musk or a private group of shareholders, the ownership doesn't much matter if whoever controls it at the time can decide what the public is or is not allowed to discuss or share.
- deleted 5y ago
  [deleted]
- usrn 5y ago
  Maybe people will finally start moving the "official" accounts of politicians and government agencies to something federated like Mastodon or Pleroma.
  - d4mi3n 5y ago
    That's one approach. Regulation is another--we have regulatory models and regimes for broadcast television, radio, and newspaper. Social media is a bit more complex as it is both broadcast and at times bi-directional, but I suspect a lot of concepts between mediums still apply. EDIT: I'd appreciate counterpoints over downvotes. This isn't Reddit. Make your thoughts known, I welcome insights or opinions other than my own.
    - usrn 5y ago
      I didn't downvote you but I think regulation here could only make things worse. IMO it only did harm to TV and radio. Most people are probably tired of hearing and debating this idea.
      - d4mi3n 5y ago
        Apologies for the confusion, my previous comment was not directed at you @usrn, but at downvoters not participating in this dialog. You may be correct that the topic is a bit of a dead horse. In my own experience, I find regulation is both an unpopular and controversial topic on HN. I suspect this is why it has been a frustratingly difficult topic to solicit substantial counterpoints on. Your thoughts, while different than my own, are very much welcome.
freitasm 5y ago
Already done a few months back. Also logged out from Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and removed those apps from my phone too.
- Markoff 5y ago
  One of these is not like the rest and it doesn't make sense to remove it.
  - rglullis 5y ago
    WhatsApp is not a social network, but it is owned by Big Tech and is being exploited to monetize users attention. Also, the conversations may be encrypted, but the metadata (the really interesting part for FB) is being mined. Good on OP that they got it out of their device.
    - Markoff 5y ago
      Good luck communicating with people without using Big Tech products. I just wonder what operating system they use in their mobile device considering Android and iOS are both developed by Big Tech. I would also like to know how is WhatsApp exploited to keep my attention, you think I randomly search for users or not even sure how could I keep attention to it without actually writing or reading messages.
      - rglullis 5y ago
        In Brazil, e.g, WhatsApp is the facto tool used by people to talk with their doctors, to order food from a restaurant or for group chat with hundreds/thousands of users, some of them political or sensitive in nature. Facebook can correlate your messaging partners, location and even time to know what ads to offer you on their other properties. > Good luck communicating with people without using Big Tech products. There are alternatives. Signal is already known even by non-techies. Matrix is not perfect, but usable and it can be setup in a way to bridge with other protocols, like Discord, Telegram, XMPP and even whatsapp.
lol768 5y ago
Elon's statement suggests forced "authentication" for all users, so that'll presumably be the end of anonymous Twitter profiles and the start of needing to prove identity at sign-up time: https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1518677066325053441 https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1518677066325053441
- fimbulvetr 5y ago
  I would expect that feature roughly the same time I expect full self driving in Teslas, or the Cybertruck, or a mission to Mars. Musk makes lots of promises.
- tazjin 5y ago
  I think that means making blue checkmarks available for all humans.
  - pavlov 5y ago
    Great news for everybody not-famous whose legal name happens to be Donald Trump or Vladimir Putin. They can expect to make a ton of money using their famously named blue checkmark account for "Elon wants to donate you 1 BTC! Click here" spam.
    - sebazzz 5y ago
      Actually, he wants to do something about the bots too.
- memish 5y ago
  They could use zero knowledge proof
joemazerino 5y ago
I'm glad he's doing it.
nicohvi 5y ago
I previously deleted my account, will create a new one
Fargoan 5y ago
It makes no difference to me who owns it. I barely use Twitter but I guess I might use it more if there are any improvements made. I really don't like Twitter
alexalx 5y ago
will start using
dgunay 5y ago
Probably not leaving unless it gets significantly worse in some way or there is a big enough exodus to other platforms.
rubyist5eva 5y ago
Hell no, Donald Trump is guaranteed to have his account restored and I want to be there for the absolute sh*tstorm that ensues.
- silisili 5y ago
  You kinda touch on something I think is interesting and I'm hopeful for - a more return to balance. It seems a lot of people and groups who go against the status quo were effectively banned or suspended until they fall in line. Where's the fun in that? Do I want to see it turn into Voat? God no. But I'd appreciate way more diversity in thought than they currently allow.
  - alphabettsy 5y ago
    My primary issue with Twitter moderation is that the ban process is so opaque and inconsistent. They’ve certainly got it wrong many times, but it seems like consistency and transparency are what’s missing most. > But I'd appreciate way more diversity in thought than they currently allow. I keep hearing this sentiment and I guess I don’t get it. Richard Spencer wasn’t banned for his “diverse thought”, he’s still on the platform. Trump wasn’t either. I see plenty of absolutely repugnant comments and tweets so what does this mean? These debates about what should and shouldn’t be allowed seem almost intentionally vague. What are people getting banned for saying that they shouldn’t be banned for?
    - silisili 5y ago
      It seems to me Twitter has a policy that seems fair, but is applied in an unfair way, if that makes sense. Basically, if they don't like someone, they ban them for violating policies that thousands of others violate daily. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twitter_suspensions https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twitter_suspensions A quick scroll through that is pretty telling they have no interest in allowing conservative people on their platform. Were most of them banned for cause? Probably. But again, there's thousands if not millions not banned for identical or worse behavior. So my 'diversity in thought' comment means just that... differing opinions. Even if some opinions are stupid. I think one giant problem today is that having an opposing opinion on many topics is called out as 'hate', which is a super broad and often misapplied label.
somesortofthing 5y ago
I honestly don't think it'll change that much. Musk's statements thus far suggest that he lacks a basic understanding of the problems inherent to running a platform like Twitter, so he'll probably just get frustrated and lose interest once he starts running into them. I suspect that the company will end up in the hands of a group indistinguishable from the current board, except they'll be Musk's friends.
- ocdtrekkie 5y ago
  I don't think you'll see changed policy, but you'll see the one-off demands of a guy who gets what he wants. So Trump unbanned, people who upset him randomly banned, etc.
  - somesortofthing 5y ago
    Yeah, that's for sure a possibility. The purchase might even end up as a marginal improvement since he actively uses Twitter and might request some QoL features once in a while.
  - ratsmack 5y ago
    I believe you're 100% wrong, but we'll just have to wait and see what transpires, because it's all speculation at this point in time.
- memish 5y ago
  Why do people keep saying he'll get frustrated and lose interest, as though he has a history of giving up on things once they get hard? People were saying that about his bid too.
  - evandale 5y ago
    Same... I'm not sure why people think that the guy who spent billions to create a reusable rocket that can land on little tiny pads in the ocean would throw his hands up and think the problem of bots and spam on Twitter is unsolvable.
linsomniac 5y ago
I can't, I have a 4 letter username. Valuable real estate...
- noizejoy 5y ago
  Sell now? Might be at it’s peak?
gundamdoubleO 5y ago
No plans on joining any social media platform and don't forsee that changing.
robonerd 5y ago
If he manages to make twitter fun then I might join, but probably not.
- extheat 5y ago
  Absolutely. Twitter (and similar social media) have become a cesspool for negativity, flame wars, left-versus-right, and spam that make it intolerable.
Eddy_Viscosity2 5y ago
Here's what I have a problem with: He's probably going give the donald his twitter account back. I can hardly express how much better things have been since he was de-platformed. Like him or hate him, you can't deny his tweets were both divisive and a huge distraction around anything else happening in the world because everyone and every media source had to repeat them and give their reactions or hot takes. I hated every bit of it. I don't even use twitter but it didn't matter, I could not escape Trump's tweets. This, by analogy, is like being told your previously cured cancer is back.
- reese_john 5y ago
  Trump said that he will be staying off Twitter even if his ban lifted, in order to focus on TRUTH Social. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-04-25/trump-says-he-won-t-return-to-twitter-even-if-musk-buys-platform?srnd=premium https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-04-25/trump-say... Personally, I wouldn't bet on it though, he sure loves the attention that comes with Twitter
nodesocket 5y ago
How about, I had Twitter, left it, and now I'm going to rejoin ?
lazlee 5y ago
If he replatforms Trump or brings in fb-esque name transparency (ie real names only) then I'm out. Till then it's lets wait and see.
- aqualinux 5y ago
  I think Trump has said he will not join Twitter even if there is the offer to reinstate his account.
  - jandrese 5y ago
    Trump says a lot of stuff. I think if he were given the option to rejoin he would do it in an heartbeat. That said, Elon Musk isn't a big Trump fanboy AFAIK, so everybody assuming this means Trump is back seems kinda strange to me. Is it a billionaire solidarity thing?
  - lazlee 5y ago
    That you still believe there is truth in anything that Trump says is absolutely mind boggling. Given the chance, Fat Boy would be back on twitter in a heartbet.
    - lazlee 5y ago
      Dude is probably trying to get Musk on the phone right now.
jandrese 5y ago
If he allows the trolls back on to tank the S/N ratio again then I'll probably have to leave, but I'm not jumping ship just yet. I don't expect him to do anything to actually improve the situation, but it is possible he just maintains the status quo, minus that "Elon Musk Private Jet Tracker" account of course.
ruined 5y ago
been on the fediverse for years now, no reason to head back.
- rglullis 5y ago
  Except for the hundred people or so that I follow and are drunk on their popularity with zero incentive to leave, I guess? My wet dream is for New Twitter to open up the API so that I can implement a bi-directional bridge and do full POSSE.
ratsmack 5y ago
I was always reluctant to make an account because something never felt right about Twitter, and over time the feeling became much more evident. But now, from the looks of things, I'll probably be on there as soon as I see what some of the changes will be.
mountainriver 5y ago
Yeah I might start using it if I have a way of getting rid of ads and rage bait
gabrielsroka 5y ago
For poll results, see https://gabrielsroka.github.io/hnpoll.html?id=31159585 https://gabrielsroka.github.io/hnpoll.html?id=31159585
ranjitcool1 5y ago
davemtl 5y ago
I decided to take a break from social media this week so logged out of Twitter & Instagram prior to this announcement and removed the apps from my phone. Depending on how it goes over the next week will depend when and if I will resume using it. I deleted my Facebook account in 2020 mid-pandemic and noticed an improvement in my mental health. Deleting my Facebook account had an interesting side effect, I found myself actually conversing more with my social circle instead of liking posts.
the_only_law 5y ago
Probably not unless most of the people I follow leave or he doesn’t something to really fuck it up. Like Reddit: that redesign and crippling of the website on mobile made me drop it pretty fast.
BeFlatXIII 5y ago
I have been Twitter-free for about half a decade now. Why change a good thing?
pavlov 5y ago
I'm curious about those voting option 5 — thinking about joining now. What do you expect to get on a Musk-owned Twitter that's not there now? Is there a specific promise made by him that you find appealing?
- Koffiepoeder 5y ago
  Just a quick FYI, poll option orders are randomized on HN iirc.
- aqualinux 5y ago
  Not my views personally, but there was a time on Twitter when doubting the effectiveness of certain drugs, expressing views about the 2020 election could get your account suspended. I think people are hoping that things like this won't happen any more because of Musk's views on free speech.
  - pavlov 5y ago
    Will somebody really join Twitter for that, though? I guess I don't see how that increases the attractiveness of the service to someone on HN. Anyone knowledgeable enough to be here presumably has been able to seek out those discussions elsewhere. Is the idea that one can soon move from Gab to Twitter, or something?
livinginfear 5y ago
My sincere, however unlikely hope is that the division regarding Musk's acquisition causes enough users to leave to cripple the platform. I don't think there will be another Twitter if this one fails. I can't foresee any single platform gaining the same network effect now that the idea of this style of site has been replicated. I think that Twitter is already waning in relevance, and too politically fractious as is. I legitimately think that Twitter has a net negative moral utility, and I hope it dies.
openthc 5y ago
I think, after this change and Musk's chatter about "free speech" things; there will be steps that Twitter becomes a more cannabis friendly advertising platform -- before Meta(FB,IG) and Google become 420 friendly.
- jandrese 5y ago
  I wouldn't be too optimistic about that. Even though Musk has famously partaken of weed he's not a strong proponent of it.
RONROC 5y ago
Anything but yes or no is TMI.
ryandvm 5y ago
Twitter was kind of a shithole that I was thinking of quitting anyway, so being bought by an obnoxious billionaire meme lord was just the kind of push I needed.
warning26 5y ago
Where is the option for "I basically never use Twitter but I'll keep my account around in case I need it to enter a stupid contest or something"
outside1234 5y ago
Elon has no idea what he is getting into. Why would anyone work for Twitter if they take it private? They are going to have to pay cash at crazy salaries.
jesuslop 5y ago
If He restores RSS access I'd follow some guys
- WithinReason 5y ago
  With the Feedbro RSS reader you can subscribe to Twitter users
SecurityMinded 5y ago
I only have a twitter account, just because.. I never post anything but planning to do so to piss off some people with "holier than thou" attitudes, especially ones who are screaming they are going to leave twitter if Musk acquires twitter. It is gonna be fun. For those snowflakes who are going to leave, don't let the door hit your tushies.
senectus1 5y ago
I'll stay until it becomes the trainwreck I expect it'll become.
archagon 5y ago
If Trump comes back, I’m probably out. With luck, some other Twitter-like thing will gain momentum that I could move to.
ppetty 5y ago
I have a Twitter account I don’t use much, not sure how this might affect that. I do think the internet is missing a pure communication channel like the emergency broadcast system. If Musk can create a true open or transparent platform could he potentially make it a non-profit? People might balk at the idea he’d spend so much to take it private but that would be iconic. Who’s done something to alter the internet as we know it like this if he goes down the public service non-profit route? If he goes the other direction, I’d love to see how he could make it profitable; but does he have to???
Markoff 5y ago
It's missing option I might join it again, after they reinstate my account blocked for spreading COVID misinformation because I dared to publish facts about kids younger than 11 years vaxxed with vaccine not allowed under 12 and recommended to people over 30 and congratulated parents to giving myocarditis to their kids. Until they reinstate banned accounts this is just noise and also not sure what to think of authenticating all people. I mean if he wants to run some CAPTCHA or something to distinguish people from bots I'm fine with that, but no way I'm giving Twitter any personal data, which is reason why my account is blocked, because I refused to provide them my phone number to unblock account.
RickJWagner 5y ago
Why would I leave? As far as I can tell, Musk will just de-politicize it and let more people speak. More ideas is better. You don't have to agree with everything.
ymgch 5y ago
No.

58 points by rglullis 5y ago

Missing option: I was on Twitter before, haven’t used it in years, no intention of using it again I suppose there’s also the option: I was on Twitter before, haven’t used it in years, thinking of using it again

YarnWarden 5y ago

Left when they integrated NFTs into PFPs, serious doubts he would unwind that. Though if he does I would join back.

deleted 5y ago

[deleted]

TigeriusKirk 5y ago

Very few people will actually leave Twitter over this. Those saying they will are the mostly likely to be caught in its addictive vortex.

arrakis2021 5y ago

“I’m moving to Canada if Trump gets elected.” Remember that crowd?

kgwxd 5y ago
Moving to Canada requires moving out of the US. People can, and mostly do, have a presence on more than one social media platform. This is more (exactly) like "I'm not using Digg anymore if they don't role back the changes", which actually happened.
cout 5y ago
I remember the "I'm moving to Canada if Bush gets elected" crowd. Dukakis lost and as far as I remember nobody moved.
dylan604 5y ago
That crowd has been around for every presidential election since I was old enough to understand what it meant. Don't remember one person ever carrying out with the threat from either side. However, this comment is a decent litmus test on how I can safely ignore anything from them after that point.

rvz 5y ago

Let's be honest. Not many people are going to leave. Just look at #deletefacebook, #deleteinstagram, #deleteTwitter. They didn't delete anything and stayed on the platform. The shit show must go on.

mwachs 5y ago
I think a lot of people did delete Facebook?

wrycoder 5y ago

I might actually get to use my three character username.

Karsteski 5y ago

I may actually start using it depending on what kind of platform it turns into, to be honest.

MangoCoffee 5y ago

why? Elon Musk isn't even running Twitter yet. how about wait and see?

rglullis 5y ago
The question is after the acquisition, presumably after changes start happening, so you could respond to the poll with "depends on the changes"

Proven 5y ago

d4mi3n 5y ago

I'd like to call out that individual responses to this don't matter. What matters is if Twitter remains a place for public discourse. So long as we allow public discourse to happen on private platforms that aren't held responsible for maintaining the availability, accountability, and freedom (as in speech) of these public forums, Twitter will continue to be problematic. Whether it's Musk or a private group of shareholders, the ownership doesn't much matter if whoever controls it at the time can decide what the public is or is not allowed to discuss or share.

deleted 5y ago
[deleted]
usrn 5y ago
Maybe people will finally start moving the "official" accounts of politicians and government agencies to something federated like Mastodon or Pleroma.
- d4mi3n 5y ago
  That's one approach. Regulation is another--we have regulatory models and regimes for broadcast television, radio, and newspaper. Social media is a bit more complex as it is both broadcast and at times bi-directional, but I suspect a lot of concepts between mediums still apply. EDIT: I'd appreciate counterpoints over downvotes. This isn't Reddit. Make your thoughts known, I welcome insights or opinions other than my own.
  - usrn 5y ago
    I didn't downvote you but I think regulation here could only make things worse. IMO it only did harm to TV and radio. Most people are probably tired of hearing and debating this idea.
    - d4mi3n 5y ago
      Apologies for the confusion, my previous comment was not directed at you @usrn, but at downvoters not participating in this dialog. You may be correct that the topic is a bit of a dead horse. In my own experience, I find regulation is both an unpopular and controversial topic on HN. I suspect this is why it has been a frustratingly difficult topic to solicit substantial counterpoints on. Your thoughts, while different than my own, are very much welcome.

freitasm 5y ago

Already done a few months back. Also logged out from Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and removed those apps from my phone too.

Markoff 5y ago
One of these is not like the rest and it doesn't make sense to remove it.
- rglullis 5y ago
  WhatsApp is not a social network, but it is owned by Big Tech and is being exploited to monetize users attention. Also, the conversations may be encrypted, but the metadata (the really interesting part for FB) is being mined. Good on OP that they got it out of their device.
  - Markoff 5y ago
    Good luck communicating with people without using Big Tech products. I just wonder what operating system they use in their mobile device considering Android and iOS are both developed by Big Tech. I would also like to know how is WhatsApp exploited to keep my attention, you think I randomly search for users or not even sure how could I keep attention to it without actually writing or reading messages.
    - rglullis 5y ago
      In Brazil, e.g, WhatsApp is the facto tool used by people to talk with their doctors, to order food from a restaurant or for group chat with hundreds/thousands of users, some of them political or sensitive in nature. Facebook can correlate your messaging partners, location and even time to know what ads to offer you on their other properties. > Good luck communicating with people without using Big Tech products. There are alternatives. Signal is already known even by non-techies. Matrix is not perfect, but usable and it can be setup in a way to bridge with other protocols, like Discord, Telegram, XMPP and even whatsapp.

lol768 5y ago

Elon's statement suggests forced "authentication" for all users, so that'll presumably be the end of anonymous Twitter profiles and the start of needing to prove identity at sign-up time: https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1518677066325053441 https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1518677066325053441

fimbulvetr 5y ago
I would expect that feature roughly the same time I expect full self driving in Teslas, or the Cybertruck, or a mission to Mars. Musk makes lots of promises.
tazjin 5y ago
I think that means making blue checkmarks available for all humans.
- pavlov 5y ago
  Great news for everybody not-famous whose legal name happens to be Donald Trump or Vladimir Putin. They can expect to make a ton of money using their famously named blue checkmark account for "Elon wants to donate you 1 BTC! Click here" spam.
  - sebazzz 5y ago
    Actually, he wants to do something about the bots too.
memish 5y ago
They could use zero knowledge proof

joemazerino 5y ago

I'm glad he's doing it.

nicohvi 5y ago

I previously deleted my account, will create a new one

Fargoan 5y ago

It makes no difference to me who owns it. I barely use Twitter but I guess I might use it more if there are any improvements made. I really don't like Twitter

alexalx 5y ago

will start using

dgunay 5y ago

Probably not leaving unless it gets significantly worse in some way or there is a big enough exodus to other platforms.

rubyist5eva 5y ago

Hell no, Donald Trump is guaranteed to have his account restored and I want to be there for the absolute sh*tstorm that ensues.

silisili 5y ago
You kinda touch on something I think is interesting and I'm hopeful for - a more return to balance. It seems a lot of people and groups who go against the status quo were effectively banned or suspended until they fall in line. Where's the fun in that? Do I want to see it turn into Voat? God no. But I'd appreciate way more diversity in thought than they currently allow.
- alphabettsy 5y ago
  My primary issue with Twitter moderation is that the ban process is so opaque and inconsistent. They’ve certainly got it wrong many times, but it seems like consistency and transparency are what’s missing most. > But I'd appreciate way more diversity in thought than they currently allow. I keep hearing this sentiment and I guess I don’t get it. Richard Spencer wasn’t banned for his “diverse thought”, he’s still on the platform. Trump wasn’t either. I see plenty of absolutely repugnant comments and tweets so what does this mean? These debates about what should and shouldn’t be allowed seem almost intentionally vague. What are people getting banned for saying that they shouldn’t be banned for?
  - silisili 5y ago
    It seems to me Twitter has a policy that seems fair, but is applied in an unfair way, if that makes sense. Basically, if they don't like someone, they ban them for violating policies that thousands of others violate daily. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twitter_suspensions https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twitter_suspensions A quick scroll through that is pretty telling they have no interest in allowing conservative people on their platform. Were most of them banned for cause? Probably. But again, there's thousands if not millions not banned for identical or worse behavior. So my 'diversity in thought' comment means just that... differing opinions. Even if some opinions are stupid. I think one giant problem today is that having an opposing opinion on many topics is called out as 'hate', which is a super broad and often misapplied label.

somesortofthing 5y ago

I honestly don't think it'll change that much. Musk's statements thus far suggest that he lacks a basic understanding of the problems inherent to running a platform like Twitter, so he'll probably just get frustrated and lose interest once he starts running into them. I suspect that the company will end up in the hands of a group indistinguishable from the current board, except they'll be Musk's friends.

ocdtrekkie 5y ago
I don't think you'll see changed policy, but you'll see the one-off demands of a guy who gets what he wants. So Trump unbanned, people who upset him randomly banned, etc.
- somesortofthing 5y ago
  Yeah, that's for sure a possibility. The purchase might even end up as a marginal improvement since he actively uses Twitter and might request some QoL features once in a while.
- ratsmack 5y ago
  I believe you're 100% wrong, but we'll just have to wait and see what transpires, because it's all speculation at this point in time.
memish 5y ago
Why do people keep saying he'll get frustrated and lose interest, as though he has a history of giving up on things once they get hard? People were saying that about his bid too.
- evandale 5y ago
  Same... I'm not sure why people think that the guy who spent billions to create a reusable rocket that can land on little tiny pads in the ocean would throw his hands up and think the problem of bots and spam on Twitter is unsolvable.

linsomniac 5y ago

I can't, I have a 4 letter username. Valuable real estate...

noizejoy 5y ago
Sell now? Might be at it’s peak?

gundamdoubleO 5y ago

No plans on joining any social media platform and don't forsee that changing.

robonerd 5y ago

If he manages to make twitter fun then I might join, but probably not.

extheat 5y ago
Absolutely. Twitter (and similar social media) have become a cesspool for negativity, flame wars, left-versus-right, and spam that make it intolerable.

Eddy_Viscosity2 5y ago

Here's what I have a problem with: He's probably going give the donald his twitter account back. I can hardly express how much better things have been since he was de-platformed. Like him or hate him, you can't deny his tweets were both divisive and a huge distraction around anything else happening in the world because everyone and every media source had to repeat them and give their reactions or hot takes. I hated every bit of it. I don't even use twitter but it didn't matter, I could not escape Trump's tweets. This, by analogy, is like being told your previously cured cancer is back.

reese_john 5y ago
Trump said that he will be staying off Twitter even if his ban lifted, in order to focus on TRUTH Social. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-04-25/trump-says-he-won-t-return-to-twitter-even-if-musk-buys-platform?srnd=premium https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-04-25/trump-say... Personally, I wouldn't bet on it though, he sure loves the attention that comes with Twitter

nodesocket 5y ago

How about, I had Twitter, left it, and now I'm going to rejoin ?

lazlee 5y ago

If he replatforms Trump or brings in fb-esque name transparency (ie real names only) then I'm out. Till then it's lets wait and see.

aqualinux 5y ago
I think Trump has said he will not join Twitter even if there is the offer to reinstate his account.
- jandrese 5y ago
  Trump says a lot of stuff. I think if he were given the option to rejoin he would do it in an heartbeat. That said, Elon Musk isn't a big Trump fanboy AFAIK, so everybody assuming this means Trump is back seems kinda strange to me. Is it a billionaire solidarity thing?
- lazlee 5y ago
  That you still believe there is truth in anything that Trump says is absolutely mind boggling. Given the chance, Fat Boy would be back on twitter in a heartbet.
  - lazlee 5y ago
    Dude is probably trying to get Musk on the phone right now.

jandrese 5y ago

If he allows the trolls back on to tank the S/N ratio again then I'll probably have to leave, but I'm not jumping ship just yet. I don't expect him to do anything to actually improve the situation, but it is possible he just maintains the status quo, minus that "Elon Musk Private Jet Tracker" account of course.

ruined 5y ago

been on the fediverse for years now, no reason to head back.

rglullis 5y ago
Except for the hundred people or so that I follow and are drunk on their popularity with zero incentive to leave, I guess? My wet dream is for New Twitter to open up the API so that I can implement a bi-directional bridge and do full POSSE.

ratsmack 5y ago

I was always reluctant to make an account because something never felt right about Twitter, and over time the feeling became much more evident. But now, from the looks of things, I'll probably be on there as soon as I see what some of the changes will be.

mountainriver 5y ago

Yeah I might start using it if I have a way of getting rid of ads and rage bait

gabrielsroka 5y ago

For poll results, see https://gabrielsroka.github.io/hnpoll.html?id=31159585 https://gabrielsroka.github.io/hnpoll.html?id=31159585

ranjitcool1 5y ago

davemtl 5y ago

I decided to take a break from social media this week so logged out of Twitter & Instagram prior to this announcement and removed the apps from my phone. Depending on how it goes over the next week will depend when and if I will resume using it. I deleted my Facebook account in 2020 mid-pandemic and noticed an improvement in my mental health. Deleting my Facebook account had an interesting side effect, I found myself actually conversing more with my social circle instead of liking posts.

the_only_law 5y ago

Probably not unless most of the people I follow leave or he doesn’t something to really fuck it up. Like Reddit: that redesign and crippling of the website on mobile made me drop it pretty fast.

BeFlatXIII 5y ago

I have been Twitter-free for about half a decade now. Why change a good thing?

pavlov 5y ago

I'm curious about those voting option 5 — thinking about joining now. What do you expect to get on a Musk-owned Twitter that's not there now? Is there a specific promise made by him that you find appealing?

Koffiepoeder 5y ago
Just a quick FYI, poll option orders are randomized on HN iirc.
aqualinux 5y ago
Not my views personally, but there was a time on Twitter when doubting the effectiveness of certain drugs, expressing views about the 2020 election could get your account suspended. I think people are hoping that things like this won't happen any more because of Musk's views on free speech.
- pavlov 5y ago
  Will somebody really join Twitter for that, though? I guess I don't see how that increases the attractiveness of the service to someone on HN. Anyone knowledgeable enough to be here presumably has been able to seek out those discussions elsewhere. Is the idea that one can soon move from Gab to Twitter, or something?

livinginfear 5y ago

My sincere, however unlikely hope is that the division regarding Musk's acquisition causes enough users to leave to cripple the platform. I don't think there will be another Twitter if this one fails. I can't foresee any single platform gaining the same network effect now that the idea of this style of site has been replicated. I think that Twitter is already waning in relevance, and too politically fractious as is. I legitimately think that Twitter has a net negative moral utility, and I hope it dies.

openthc 5y ago

I think, after this change and Musk's chatter about "free speech" things; there will be steps that Twitter becomes a more cannabis friendly advertising platform -- before Meta(FB,IG) and Google become 420 friendly.

jandrese 5y ago
I wouldn't be too optimistic about that. Even though Musk has famously partaken of weed he's not a strong proponent of it.

RONROC 5y ago

Anything but yes or no is TMI.

ryandvm 5y ago

Twitter was kind of a shithole that I was thinking of quitting anyway, so being bought by an obnoxious billionaire meme lord was just the kind of push I needed.

warning26 5y ago

Where is the option for "I basically never use Twitter but I'll keep my account around in case I need it to enter a stupid contest or something"

outside1234 5y ago

Elon has no idea what he is getting into. Why would anyone work for Twitter if they take it private? They are going to have to pay cash at crazy salaries.

jesuslop 5y ago

If He restores RSS access I'd follow some guys

WithinReason 5y ago
With the Feedbro RSS reader you can subscribe to Twitter users

SecurityMinded 5y ago

I only have a twitter account, just because.. I never post anything but planning to do so to piss off some people with "holier than thou" attitudes, especially ones who are screaming they are going to leave twitter if Musk acquires twitter. It is gonna be fun. For those snowflakes who are going to leave, don't let the door hit your tushies.

senectus1 5y ago

I'll stay until it becomes the trainwreck I expect it'll become.

archagon 5y ago

If Trump comes back, I’m probably out. With luck, some other Twitter-like thing will gain momentum that I could move to.

ppetty 5y ago

I have a Twitter account I don’t use much, not sure how this might affect that. I do think the internet is missing a pure communication channel like the emergency broadcast system. If Musk can create a true open or transparent platform could he potentially make it a non-profit? People might balk at the idea he’d spend so much to take it private but that would be iconic. Who’s done something to alter the internet as we know it like this if he goes down the public service non-profit route? If he goes the other direction, I’d love to see how he could make it profitable; but does he have to???

Markoff 5y ago

It's missing option I might join it again, after they reinstate my account blocked for spreading COVID misinformation because I dared to publish facts about kids younger than 11 years vaxxed with vaccine not allowed under 12 and recommended to people over 30 and congratulated parents to giving myocarditis to their kids. Until they reinstate banned accounts this is just noise and also not sure what to think of authenticating all people. I mean if he wants to run some CAPTCHA or something to distinguish people from bots I'm fine with that, but no way I'm giving Twitter any personal data, which is reason why my account is blocked, because I refused to provide them my phone number to unblock account.

RickJWagner 5y ago

Why would I leave? As far as I can tell, Musk will just de-politicize it and let more people speak. More ideas is better. You don't have to agree with everything.

ymgch 5y ago

No.