It’s been quite a year in the world of social media. Just over a year ago, we asked ‘What happened to our social media?‘. As we’ve had a reduced presence for the last year, I’m now taking stock and asking what happened to everyone else’s?
Following the acquisition of Twitter (now occasionally and grudgingly referred to as X) by Elon Musk, we decided to even more carefully consider which social media platforms aligned with our values and goals and which didn’t. At Ethical Pixels, we’ve always taken a thoughtful approach to where we engage online, guided by our ethical commitments and a desire to foster positive, meaningful connections through technology.
This review resulted in us leaving Twitter in 2022, and we outlined our reasons and concerns in a blog post at the time. The months since have, in my mind, only vindicated this decision. The platform has devolved into a toxic hub for divisive rhetoric and extremist views – qualities that are antithetical to what we stand for.
My view is that we want no part of any platform that not only spreads disinformation, but prioritises it.
You don’t even have to have lofty ideals to want to steer clear of most major social media platforms these days:
- A raft of major media companies, from the Guardian to NPR have also left Twitter/X recently, citing concerns over brand safety, content moderation, and the platform’s increasingly polarising environment.
- Between the Cambridge Analytica scandal and failing to prevent election interference, Facebook seems as culpable as any platform.
- TikTok has illegally processed children’s data, harms youth mental health and has dubious links to China’s intelligence services. Do we really need to say more?
In the wake of our departure from Twitter/X, we’ve doubled down on platforms that reflect our values. This includes a presence on the federated microblogging platform Mastodon and, most recently, joining Bluesky. These platforms provide spaces that prioritize community, transparency, and authenticity over algorithms and outrage, making them a natural fit for businesses like ours.
It’s also solidified a long-held belief of mine – that we should not spend our time and effort supporting integration with platforms that contradict our raison d’être. Unlike some, however, we don’t impose our values on others. Our clients are still welcome to use Facebook, Instagram, X and TikTok – we’re simply no longer supporting integrations with them. If you want to integrate your site with these platforms, we can provide instructions, or an introduction to a specialist who can help, but we won’t be doing this any longer.
I feel the lesson here is simple but vital: don’t spread yourself too thin by trying to be everywhere. Instead, focus your energy on platforms that resonate with your audience and reflect your principles. In doing so, you can build deeper connections and make a more meaningful impact in the digital space.
Most importantly, consider adding to the voice of people discontented with a continuous stream of bile, and switch off platforms like X.
