There are a lot of things that come to mind when one thinks of Twitter. One of the most pervasive images that one would generally get when one thinks of Twitter is one of political divisiveness, toxic call out culture and a general cesspool where good conversations go to die. If you think about the way that Twitter is portrayed in mainstream media, it’s not surprising that this is the sort of image that one would get when one thinks about how Twitter tends to be used by the average person.
After all, Donald Trumps incendiary and divisive remarks are usually made on Twitter, as are the controversial statements that we associate with a lot of figures that have a following that is willing to disseminate the information that they are presenting on the social media platform. Twitter is also the very place where hashtags that attack certain people come into being. There are a number of positive political movements that have started on Twitter as well, so it’s not to say that all of Twitter’s political influence is hateful and divisive and that it should be monitored more carefully.
However, in a growing climate of government regulations that are meant to control what the limits of social media actually are, it’s important realize that these are just some of the people on Twitter, and that all of the hateful rhetoric, incessant flame wars and constant Tweet fueled duals are just a small part of what makes Twitter what it truly is. If this was all Twitter was then it wouldn’t be such a hotbed for memes and the like, and it wouldn’t be one of the only platforms that actually allows you to connect with celebrities and highly visible figures and potentially even have a conversation with them.
It’s important to note that Twitter serves a very real social function, i.e. according to a new study, and that interaction on Twitter allows people to get to know each other a little better. Twitter humanizes politicians and celebrities and it serves as a kind of forum where people can have their voices heard. Twitter is also a great place to get news, and the fact of the matter is that news can be shared instantly on the social media platform without any kind of censorship which can lead to people getting the real news as it happens.
Twitter is also a place for people to just hang out, and it is for this reason that this social media platform still forms an important aspect of the internet landscape. While many would say that Twitter is down and out and that it wouldn’t be possible for the social media platform to make much of a comeback, the people that do use Twitter allow it to stay very relevant indeed, and the fact that you see it portrayed so often in social media shows just how relevant it still is.
Photo: Prakash Singh/AFP/Getty Images
Read next: Twitter is Testing "Drag to Re-Order" Feature for Photos attached with a Tweet!
After all, Donald Trumps incendiary and divisive remarks are usually made on Twitter, as are the controversial statements that we associate with a lot of figures that have a following that is willing to disseminate the information that they are presenting on the social media platform. Twitter is also the very place where hashtags that attack certain people come into being. There are a number of positive political movements that have started on Twitter as well, so it’s not to say that all of Twitter’s political influence is hateful and divisive and that it should be monitored more carefully.
However, in a growing climate of government regulations that are meant to control what the limits of social media actually are, it’s important realize that these are just some of the people on Twitter, and that all of the hateful rhetoric, incessant flame wars and constant Tweet fueled duals are just a small part of what makes Twitter what it truly is. If this was all Twitter was then it wouldn’t be such a hotbed for memes and the like, and it wouldn’t be one of the only platforms that actually allows you to connect with celebrities and highly visible figures and potentially even have a conversation with them.
It’s important to note that Twitter serves a very real social function, i.e. according to a new study, and that interaction on Twitter allows people to get to know each other a little better. Twitter humanizes politicians and celebrities and it serves as a kind of forum where people can have their voices heard. Twitter is also a great place to get news, and the fact of the matter is that news can be shared instantly on the social media platform without any kind of censorship which can lead to people getting the real news as it happens.
Twitter is also a place for people to just hang out, and it is for this reason that this social media platform still forms an important aspect of the internet landscape. While many would say that Twitter is down and out and that it wouldn’t be possible for the social media platform to make much of a comeback, the people that do use Twitter allow it to stay very relevant indeed, and the fact that you see it portrayed so often in social media shows just how relevant it still is.
Photo: Prakash Singh/AFP/Getty Images
Read next: Twitter is Testing "Drag to Re-Order" Feature for Photos attached with a Tweet!
