Member-only story
Elon buying Twitter is a good reminder about platform ownership.
Online platforms are not owned by their users, and that’s something the users working to make them special must remember.
If I’m honest, leaving Twitter is hard for me. It was my favorite social media platform for several reasons. For one, I liked most of the people I followed, and I learned a lot from them.
My follower list includes a lot of people who are different from me and who I might not encounter in my daily life — people in other countries and immigrants to this one, People of Color, disabled people, transgender people, and veterans, just to name a few — and from whom I have learned a lot and gained valuable perspective.
I’ve made professional connections, especially in my creative endeavors, and gained a lot of exposure for my cartoon work and essays. I have a few “friends,” which I put in quotes because we’ve never met in person, including a handful of celebrities I admire. Though I’m a little ashamed to admit it, there’s a nice ego boost when a famous person turns up in your replies.
There’s also just that pleasing dopamine rush of knowing people are paying attention. Blogging and long-form writing can bring occasional bursts, but there’s nothing like Twitter to…
