Recommended Twitter alternatives
I last wrote a dedicated post about Twitter alternatives back in April 2022, which feels like a million years ago at this point. Since Elon Musk bought Twitter, the social network has declined significantly in quality: once-banned trolls, racists, and the like allowed back on the service; an undermining of Twitter’s basic infrastructure; ill-conceived monetizing efforts with questionable results; and so on. On top of that, Twitter is now subject to the whims of its boorish billionaire owner, who recently boosted antisemitic and racist posts, resulting in an advertiser boycott. Basically, the old Twitter’s dead, and not coming back… barring if or when Musk sells Twitter for pennies on the dollar.
Given all of the above, I thought I’d make an updated post on my recommended Twitter alternatives for the average person, based on how things currently stand (as of November 2023).
Twitter replacements: Mastodon, Bluesky, and Threads
There aren’t any 100% exact Twitter replacements, despite that Twitter’s feature set should be easy to clone. Silicon Valley and Wall Street at this point are clearly more invested in AI, video-based social networks (like TV, online video’s easier to put unskippable ads in), or anything with algorithms (versus chronological feeds). Some of the recent boom in Twitter alternatives have also petered out by now.
Still, for the average person, the best Twitter replacements worth considering at this point:
Mastodon. The longest-established of the Twitter-like alternatives, Mastodon has plenty of features its rivals lack, such as the ability to edit posts. However, less technically inclined users might find Mastodon hard to sign up for or use. Mastodon’s creators have made changes to address some of this (such as defaulting new accounts to mastodon.social, the largest server), but initial negative impressions that it’s “for nerds” or “is the Linux of social media” still linger.
Bluesky. Bluesky is an easy to use service, and resembles the early version of Twitter. However, it’s still missing various features (such as hashtags), and is still invite-only.
Threads. Threads is backed by Meta, and thus is easy to use and has strong ties to Instagram. Unlike Mastodon and Bluesky, Threads is also where you’ll find your favorite celebrities, corporate accounts, influencers, and so forth. However, it’s still lacking some features (such as hashtags); additionally, it’s still owned by Meta, with all the problems that brings; as of this writing, Threads isn’t available in Europe due to EU tech privacy rules.
Following news: Google News, Apple News, newsletters, and RSS readers
For those that mainly use Twitter to follow news updates, replacements include:
Google News or Apple News: Google and Apple both make news apps for their respective platforms, though Google News is cross-platform (available on the web, Android, and iOS). Both apps pull from various news sources, and work as a way to keep up with the news. They’re also easy to use.
Newsletters. Many sites offer email newsletters. This can be an easy way of following a specific website or person.
RSS readers: Technically-inclined users might consider using an RSS reader, which offers more flexibility than Google News and Apple News, but requires more work to set up.
Old standbys: Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr, etc.
The old standby social networks like Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr, and LinkedIn all still exist, of course. Facebook and Instagram are still popular, even if they have their own flaws.
Expressing thoughts: Start a blog
For those willing to write more than 280 characters, starting a blog is an option. Wordpress.com, Blogspot, and Tumblr are ways to start a basic blog for free, and publicize your thoughts. Plus, you’ll own your posts, and won’t see them subject to the whims of an obnoxious billionaire. On the downside, blogging requires more work than opening a social media account.
Keeping in touch with friends: Email, chat apps, and text messaging
If you’re just keeping in touch with friends, one of the oldest internet standbys still exists, and works perfectly well: email.
If you want something a bit more sophisticated, there’s also chat apps such as Telegram or Signal. Text messaging is also an option for those with their friends’ phone numbers.
Conclusion
Unless you literally have no choice (such as a job requiring you to use Twitter), I strongly urge people (and media conglomerates, celebrities, sports teams, etc.) to stop using Twitter and switch to one or more of the alternatives I listed above.
Twitter’s not going to get any better at this point. The owner is an obnoxious bigot (and is actively encouraging or allowing other bigots on Twitter); misinformation is rampant; and with a US presidential election (involving Donald Trump) in 2024, it’s only going to get even worse.
Yes, I know none of the alternatives replicate 100% of Twitter's features; I know one’s family, friends, and favorite celebrities/musicians/sports teams/influencers/etc. are on Twitter; I know the service technically “hasn’t collapsed” (despite its current state the equivalent of being rat-infested); I know there’s work involved in switching to a new platform; and I know there’s plenty of nostalgia for what Twitter was like. Still, old-school Twitter (for all its flaws) is over; it’s time to bail from the birdsite.
Again, the internet, breaking news, self-promotion, networking, activism, etc. all existed before (and outside of) Twitter. Now would be a good time for everyone to remember this, and start seeking alternatives.
"Twitter App" by Brett Jordan is licensed under CC BY 2.0 (Flickr / cropped from original)