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Granted there's all sorts of pearl clutching, but odds are Twitter is probably just fine for now as there's no actual alternative.* Majority of users have no a

Granted there's all sorts of pearl clutching, but odds are Twitter is probably just fine for now as there's no actual alternative.* Majority of users have no awareness of any of this angst, they're just using it for its niche. It's popcorn-worthy drama because of the headcount carnage and the culture clash with increasingly vapid corporate ESG posing, while in reality both headcount bloat (particularly non-maker roles) and corporate virtue signaling need a check. There's a reasonable chance the image hit among various political and tech influencers is soon (months to years) offset by performance and utility gains from getting the other two under control. All this is off the table if something with less friction gains network effects within the niche. In that sense I'd agree with you: now's certainly a (rare) time to try to convince folks to change a habit many literally grew up with. * Mastodon user since spring 2018.

ARandumGuy 4y ago
> odds are Twitter is probably just fine for now as there's no actual alternative. Just because there isn't a direct alternative doesn't mean Twitter's future is bright. Twitter users can just quit Twitter without signing up for a new social media site. They can use other social media more, or find something else to do with their time. Keep in mind, a vast majority of Twitter users don't actually post. To these users, Twitter is just a source of entertainment. And if these users aren't getting enough entertainment, they'll just stop using the site. Maybe not immediately, and maybe not in an organized fashion. But people can and do change their social media habits, and there's nothing forcing people to stick with Twitter.
jjfoooo5 4y ago
The advertiser exodus (already well underway) is a far bigger threat to Twitter than a user exodus. The subscription model is dead on arrival. There's plenty of options if you want a forum without "corporate ESG posing" - 4chan et al. They just don't make money, or interest the majority of people.

ARandumGuy 4y ago

> odds are Twitter is probably just fine for now as there's no actual alternative. Just because there isn't a direct alternative doesn't mean Twitter's future is bright. Twitter users can just quit Twitter without signing up for a new social media site. They can use other social media more, or find something else to do with their time. Keep in mind, a vast majority of Twitter users don't actually post. To these users, Twitter is just a source of entertainment. And if these users aren't getting enough entertainment, they'll just stop using the site. Maybe not immediately, and maybe not in an organized fashion. But people can and do change their social media habits, and there's nothing forcing people to stick with Twitter.

jjfoooo5 4y ago

The advertiser exodus (already well underway) is a far bigger threat to Twitter than a user exodus. The subscription model is dead on arrival. There's plenty of options if you want a forum without "corporate ESG posing" - 4chan et al. They just don't make money, or interest the majority of people.