Originally published at The Journal of Uncharted Blue Places.
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The Downfall of a Social Network
On Bluesky, author and illustrator Brian Kirby has shared another entry in what’s becoming a favorite genre of mine: chronicling the downfall of X, Elon Musk’s rapidly decaying social network. I find Musk’s takeover of Twitter to be a fascinating case study in how to destroy a tech company—and that’s even without considering Musk’s prior status as one of late-stage capitalism’s most notorious figures.
— Brian Kirby (@boringstorybook.com) 2024-08-26T14:38:34.541Z
What Happened to Twitter?
Kirby’s comment highlights a trend affecting journalists, authors, publishers, and anyone who relied on Twitter to communicate with their audience. Imagine you have 32,000 followers on Twitter. That’s a solid number, and you would expect that when you announce something, many of your followers will see it. But now, under Musk’s leadership, you get only 7 likes and 3 shares. What happened?
The Ghost Accounts Problem
The short answer is that ex-Twitter is losing its users at an alarming rate. Many of those 32,000 followers are ghost accounts—users who created accounts years ago but no longer use the platform. If a Musk-employed technician checked, they could easily see how many of those followers have logged in recently, but that’s not information they’re sharing with us.
Engagement Collapse
Ghost accounts have always been around, but authors and publishers used to get hundreds of engagements for new announcements. The collapse in engagement since Musk took over is dramatic. Engagement numbers that can’t even reach a dozen for an account with over 30,000 followers is catastrophic.
A Unique Failure
What’s fascinating is that it’s usually very difficult to achieve this level of platform abandonment. Consumers are resilient and don’t change their habits quickly. Activists know how hard it is to make boycotts effective. Yet, Musk managed to drive users away from Twitter in just a year.
Something Broke Inside Twitter
This isn’t about boycotts or user boredom. Something broke inside ex-Twitter, forcing users off the platform. For authors dependent on “X” to reach their fans, this has been catastrophic. For Musk, it’s almost comically humiliating—or would be if he was paying attention. From a tech perspective, it’s like watching a volcano erupt. Scientists would want to study every detail to understand how Musk achieved such a scale of damage.
Musk’s Fatal Decision
Musk made the decision that destroyed Twitter within days of buying it. He broke the core product right at the beginning because he didn’t understand what the company’s product was and wasn’t interested in finding out.
— Brian Kirby
Firing Everyone
One of Musk’s first acts was to fire almost everyone at Twitter, including most of the tech teams and moderators. Moderators are essential for keeping out inappropriate content. Without them, the platform became inundated with offensive material, making it unusable for many.
The Impact of Poor Decisions
Reducing the tech team led to bugs that made the platform difficult to use. Firing moderators allowed trolls to post horrific content. These changes transformed Twitter from a top-tier social network into a chaotic mess.
The New Twitter
When Musk bought the company, it was a well-moderated social network. A year later, it allowed hate speech and graphic content. This is not the same product, and Musk didn’t understand that. Let’s do some quick math to illustrate this point.
Let N(nochildmurder) be the number of people in America who do not want to see open racism…
FAQ’s
General Questions
What is the main topic of the article?
The article discusses the decline of Elon Musk’s social network, X (formerly Twitter), and how it has affected engagement for users, particularly authors and publishers.
Who is Brian Kirby?
Brian Kirby is an author and illustrator who has been chronicling the decline of X on Bluesky. He has become known for his commentary on this subject.
What is Bluesky?
Bluesky is a platform where Brian Kirby has been posting his observations about the demise of X. It serves as an alternative to traditional social media platforms.
Why is the decline of X significant?
The decline of X is significant because it represents a dramatic shift in user engagement and platform viability, especially for those who relied on it for professional communication and audience building.
Technical and Sociological Aspects
What caused the decline in engagement on X?
The decline in engagement on X is attributed to several factors, including the mass firing of staff, reduced moderation, and the overall mismanagement by Elon Musk.
How did Musk’s management style contribute to the decline?
Musk’s management style, which included firing a large portion of the staff and reducing moderation, led to a deterioration in the user experience. This resulted in a significant drop in active users and engagement.
What are ghost accounts?
Ghost accounts are user accounts that were created but have been abandoned over time. They contribute to inflated follower numbers but do not engage with content.
Why is the decline of X considered a case study in tech mismanagement?
The decline is considered a case study in tech mismanagement because it showcases how poor decision-making and lack of understanding of the core product can lead to rapid platform abandonment.
Impact on Users
How has the decline of X affected authors and publishers?
Authors and publishers who relied on X to reach their audience have seen a dramatic drop in engagement, making it difficult to promote their work effectively.
What are some examples of the negative impact on user experience?
Examples include the appearance of inappropriate content in hashtags related to children’s books and the overall decrease in content visibility and engagement.
What alternatives are users considering?
Users are considering alternative platforms like Bluesky to continue their professional and personal engagements.
Is there any hope for X to recover?
Given the extent of the decline and the fundamental changes in user experience, recovery seems unlikely without significant changes in management and strategy.
Future Implications
What lessons can be learned from the decline of X?
The primary lesson is the importance of understanding and maintaining the core product and user experience. Mismanagement and drastic changes can lead to rapid user abandonment.
How might this affect other social media platforms?
Other social media platforms may take note of the consequences of poor management and the importance of moderation to maintain user trust and engagement.
What does this mean for the future of social media?
The future of social media may see a shift towards platforms that prioritize user experience and effective moderation, learning from the mistakes made by X under Musk’s leadership.
