This is increasingly my experience on Twitter/X as well, that replies are just rubbish and there's very little scope for discovery/learning/asking questions. Still one of the saddest outcomes about how I've spent my time over the last decade!
Since I had such a large sample (nearly a hundred), I analyzed X comments by category.
47% said climate wasn't changing, I was lying, ignorant, or not really a scientist
15% said I was in it for the $
14% were insults
Content warning: Please don't read the fine print if you're sensitive.
@katharinehayhoe.com 1-thank you for being you. 2-keep doing what you do, including shouting into the void that is Xitter. (Pronounce the X as in manadrin, juvenile, but you might feel better). 3-remember that much of the noise is bot-generated click bait-not personal, not even people-generated!
These days on Twitter, I would estimate it’s about 50-50.
The bots there are getting smarter though. They are now using photos and real names – but you can tell by their their following. They are all lovely ladies looking for friends who enjoy travel, lottery winners, and crypto enthusiasts.
Perk up (somewhat).
It’s also VERY likely that 90% of these responses are from conflict bots, not actual humans who truly misunderstood the research.
The biggest problem Twitter has now, is with shear detritus. It’s a porn bot and conflict bot fest.
Sadly, with Musk as the owner, the platform has been ruined. He's corrupted the blue tick, allowed extreme right wingers & racists etc to thrive & ruined the ethos.
Even if somebody bought it, it would take a very long time to make it decent again.
