Apologies for the length of this response, but here is what I think Twitter needs to do to remain a viable, profitable platform:
1. Require that everyone is validated with an actual name (parody and other non-personal accounts would have person behind the tweet identified in the bio). This should lessen the amount of anonymous trolling do…
Apologies for the length of this response, but here is what I think Twitter needs to do to remain a viable, profitable platform:
1. Require that everyone is validated with an actual name (parody and other non-personal accounts would have person behind the tweet identified in the bio). This should lessen the amount of anonymous trolling done.
2. Charge a membership fee. Something like $25 would hurt multi-account spammers and bots, and requiring a credit card would facilitate identification/verification. And $25 X # of Twitter users would provide revenue for the platform. Anyone who thinks $25/yr. Is too much is either a bot or someone not really engaged (and thus not seeing advertising). (I personally would be glad to pay up to $50/yr. for a Twitter without trolls and threats.)
3. Eliminate (or severely restrict) access to the Twitter API, primarily to prevent bots. Perhaps legitimate add-on developers (like TweetBot) could be given access, but their software would have to be reviewed by Twitter to ensure that it actually adds value (similar to what App Store reviews are supposed to do).
4. Institute a mechanism (if not already available) for users to report grossly insulting or threatening tweets. The key here is not disagreeable or even offensive tweets, but tweets that (based on objective criteria) insult a person’s appearance, religion, nationality, gender identity, sexuality, etc. The idea is to promote discussion, even argument, without getting overly personal or threatening.
5. Institute a mechanism (if not already available) for users to report significant misinformation. Thus would need to be reviewed by a Twitter content review. If found to be mid/disinformation, either a warning could be applied or the tweet taken down.
6. Rebuild the content review group to implement #4 and #5. Ideally, with objective standards (it should not be hard to codify what is a threat, for instance) and rapid review, the platform can be more of a trusted source without personal invective or threats.
7. Institute a Twitter “death penalty” for users who continually violate #4 or #5. Maybe three bad tweets and you’re out. Since all users must be verified, this would make it hard (though not impossible) for the offending user to open another account.
Obviously, this needs more thought and nuance. But the roadmap outlined here should be a strong starting point for fixing a vital platform. And given that Twitter has some nascent competition (Post and Mastadon and maybe some others), fixing the platform before too many users leave would be essential to Twitter’s future financial health.
It's not really a vital platform. If it blew up tonight and fell into a hole, there are a bunch of other platforms waiting to fill it's shoes.
Twitter and its ilk are so vital that I lived the majority of my life without them.. and didn't feel the lack... and don't actually use them now... and don't feel the lack.
And the people running the platforms don't want to be involved in the expense and hassle (and politics) of doing the things you list above... because regardless of how objective you are being or think you are being, the people you come down on (and the people they voted into office) will do their whiny beotch act all over you. Just like what is happening now.
Apologies for the length of this response, but here is what I think Twitter needs to do to remain a viable, profitable platform:
1. Require that everyone is validated with an actual name (parody and other non-personal accounts would have person behind the tweet identified in the bio). This should lessen the amount of anonymous trolling done.
2. Charge a membership fee. Something like $25 would hurt multi-account spammers and bots, and requiring a credit card would facilitate identification/verification. And $25 X # of Twitter users would provide revenue for the platform. Anyone who thinks $25/yr. Is too much is either a bot or someone not really engaged (and thus not seeing advertising). (I personally would be glad to pay up to $50/yr. for a Twitter without trolls and threats.)
3. Eliminate (or severely restrict) access to the Twitter API, primarily to prevent bots. Perhaps legitimate add-on developers (like TweetBot) could be given access, but their software would have to be reviewed by Twitter to ensure that it actually adds value (similar to what App Store reviews are supposed to do).
4. Institute a mechanism (if not already available) for users to report grossly insulting or threatening tweets. The key here is not disagreeable or even offensive tweets, but tweets that (based on objective criteria) insult a person’s appearance, religion, nationality, gender identity, sexuality, etc. The idea is to promote discussion, even argument, without getting overly personal or threatening.
5. Institute a mechanism (if not already available) for users to report significant misinformation. Thus would need to be reviewed by a Twitter content review. If found to be mid/disinformation, either a warning could be applied or the tweet taken down.
6. Rebuild the content review group to implement #4 and #5. Ideally, with objective standards (it should not be hard to codify what is a threat, for instance) and rapid review, the platform can be more of a trusted source without personal invective or threats.
7. Institute a Twitter “death penalty” for users who continually violate #4 or #5. Maybe three bad tweets and you’re out. Since all users must be verified, this would make it hard (though not impossible) for the offending user to open another account.
Obviously, this needs more thought and nuance. But the roadmap outlined here should be a strong starting point for fixing a vital platform. And given that Twitter has some nascent competition (Post and Mastadon and maybe some others), fixing the platform before too many users leave would be essential to Twitter’s future financial health.
It's not really a vital platform. If it blew up tonight and fell into a hole, there are a bunch of other platforms waiting to fill it's shoes.
Twitter and its ilk are so vital that I lived the majority of my life without them.. and didn't feel the lack... and don't actually use them now... and don't feel the lack.
And the people running the platforms don't want to be involved in the expense and hassle (and politics) of doing the things you list above... because regardless of how objective you are being or think you are being, the people you come down on (and the people they voted into office) will do their whiny beotch act all over you. Just like what is happening now.