The future of ‘black Twitter’ in question as many users abandon the social media platform

As many users proceed to maneuver away from X, formerly known as Twitter, many are starting to question what this mass departure might mean for the future of Black Twitter.

In the two years since Elon Musk took ownership of the social media platform, his involvement with the Trump campaign and modifications to the app have prompted many users to go away X, in line with social media analytics tool Likeweb. quoted By . The day after the election, greater than 115,000 accounts were deactivated, marking the highest single-day drop since Musk took over the platform. With Black users amongst the most engaged and influential audiences on social media, the move away from the app has raised concerns that “Black Twitter” could change into a thing of the past as more users migrate to alternative text platforms.

“I don’t think Black Twitter will exist in the next few years,” said Jonathan Johnson, a 29-year-old behavioral therapist from Houston.

“Black Twitter is one of the most important forms of community that makes the platform what it is,” said Ashon Crawley, a professor of religious studies and African American and African American studies at the University of Virginia. “Social media is important just for the social aspect, and if you don’t have it, people won’t use” the app.

Thousands of former X users who previously actively used Twitter cite a wave of bots, harassment and biased promoting amid a polarizing presidential election as reasons for leaving. Many Black users who’ve been considering leaving the platform since 2022 say the current wave of departures is more final.

The move away from X is in line with the platform’s recent terms of service policy, effective Friday, which stipulates that user posts might be used to coach artificial intelligence. While users previously had the choice to opt out of AI machine learning, the updated policy now requires opt-in by simply maintaining an X account.

“I have no interest in my content feeding that monster,” Crawley, 44, said, noting how the app would suffer without the involvement of Black users.

As Black Twitter migrates, including celebrities like Gabrielle Union and Don Lemon, many users are turning to platforms like Bluesky, Meta-owned Threads or the Black-owned social media site Spill. According to Bluesky, multiple million people joined the platform last week, increasing its user base to greater than 15 million. By comparisonat the starting of 2024, company X had roughly 429 million accounts worldwide.

Although Bluesky doesn’t collect data on user race, the platform welcomes the mass influx of black users with open arms.

“In many ways, Black Twitter has been one of the cornerstones of Twitter, and we look forward to welcoming this community to Bluesky,” said Bluesky spokeswoman Emily Liu.

Academic research, opinion polls, Platform X data and reports about the platform’s cooperation with the Trump campaign suggest that Musk has turned the site right into a Republican media center and an echo chamber for amplifying right-wing ideologies.

“I see his tweets principally spreading a bunch of misinformation and straight up lies. I can see it, but I am unable to see the people I follow,” said Joella Still, a 37-year-old education consultant in Los Angeles.

He continues to cite Musk’s support for Donald Trump and believes that he used the X platform and that he “used Twitter to help” Trump win the 2024 election.

“I just can’t contribute to something that is part of my downfall,” she added.

Black users of Bluesky are actively constructing a supportive community on the platform, like Rudy Fraser, who created Blacksky, a curated collection of Black-centric channels designed to filter racism and misogyny. The recent space provides members with a secure and inclusive experience.

Whether they use Threads, Spill, or other platforms, Black Twitter members will work to seek out a brand new home for his or her community.

“Those of us who make up Black Twitter are just going to go to different social media platforms and recreate good bits of what we had,” Johnson said.