Awkward to have spent almost a decade studying Twitter, writing a book about Twitter, and then becoming outspoken about why I believe it is ethical to abandon ship, to then have other scholars of the same thing over there tweeting away and tagging me in things with the presumption I should engage.
I've said many times I do not begrudge some folks for staying on Twitter because of the important community connections it continues to provide. But I find academics who study mis/disinfo or social justice staying there really odd. and no, I won't go back to help promote your event on *those* topics
Black folk still have numbers for cathartic community there, alternatives have failed this. I get that. It also may make sense to be there to study its downfall. But as scholars of hey nazis shouldn't be mainstreamed online I don't think we should be using it for self promotion. That's my hot take.
I am sensitive to ways academia depends on an attention economy to seem successful and to drive eyes to publications and other work. I get it! Twitter benefitted me in that way a lot so I understand people thinking I'm being a weirdo here! But contexts change and at some point I think we should too!
I agree and think my post implies that, people might keep an account to observe and test certain things like how the infrastructure and safety features change and effect UX, but self promotion and other everyday stuff is different
yeah I co-authored a paper coming out...some day... and we intentionally decided not to promote on Twitter when it comes out bc it just feels weird to write about the dangers of male supremacy and fascism and act like that platform isn't a key part of the problem
Interesting. I had thought that it made sense for the mis/disinfo researchers to stay there in the same way that I, as a sexual violence researcher, keep an eye on the manosphere, incels, and other awful parts of the internet.
As someone who has left Xitter, I wholeheartedly agree. I just thought the mis/disinfo researchers probably benefit not just from passively observing, but participating in a way that helps them understand the changing norms there. But, tagging you about events like nothing has changed is weird.
Yeah it’s the generally using it profesh-casually (is that a thing?) like it’s still 2016 that is tripping me up. I’m sure someone thinks I’m being very finicky about it but I think we are past the live tweeting award shows and posting cutesy photos from conferences stage of that place by a mile
Fine to keep an account there to keep an eye on what's happening (much as the same researchers might keep accounts on Gab, 4Chan, etc.). Not fine to promote your work and organise yourselves there.
Yeah, as I just posted, I think there are reasons for having more than a passive presence there. But, I misunderstood in @sjjphd.bsky.social's thread the nature of the tagging and engagement that was occurring.
I got an award at a conference. The organizers asked for my Twitter handle as part of their promotions. I remarked that I didn’t have a Twitter handle because I got harassed off the platform for work that had earned me the award they were promoting. They gave no reply.
This is what I'm talking about...just got asked for my handle so a uni can promote something *about feminist digital ethics* I'm keynoting and I'm like uh...in the keynote I'm going to talk about how unethical I think this is so gonna be awkward!
I hear you and see you. I deleted my account from the site formerly known as twitter and shifted here to BlueSky. I encourage folks to reach out to scientific societies and ask them to at least start accounts on other media. They should not advocate for a site that violates their code of conduct. 🧪
The professional organizations are being painfully slow about it and their example would mean a lot for junior scholars who are taking cues based on where they see legit professional opportunities
Sitting in a professional association board meeting atm and we just voted to sunset Twitter chats and will discuss complete departure at next monthly meeting. Eye on alternatives and promoting adoption among members to rebuild community.
Honestly? Academics are used to that kind of cognitive dissonance. Going to a Covid epidemiology conference and not wearing a mask? Totally fine. Flying halfway around the world for a climate conference that could’ve been online? Totes fine. As a group, we’re part of the problem.
I hear you and see you. I deleted my account from the site formerly known as twitter and shifted here to BlueSky. I encourage folks to reach out to scientific societies and ask them to at least start accounts on other media. They should not advocate for a site that violates their code of conduct. 🧪
Swap “scholars” for “business folk” and I’m right there with you.
Turns out you don’t own your social graph anymore. What an amazing thing to have privatized.
If for no other reason - leave because Twitter's black box algorithm can and will suppress these posts on a whim.
If you talk to them - could you please ask them if their tweets have the same reach as 2-3 years ago?
