Twitter has gone through a multitude of changes within the past year given the tumultuous reign of CEO Elon Musk. As the recent shift from the blue bird that symbolized the brand to a stark “X” threatens to change the very makeup of the social media platform, what will happen to the community that is Black Twitter?
In pursuit of his vision of an “everything app,” Musk’s logo change took place after he hinted it at on his official account.
Not sure what subtle clues gave it way, but I like the letter X pic.twitter.com/nwB2tEfLr8
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 23, 2023
However, as the social media website formerly known as Twitter rapidly changes, what about the communities that were fostered within it? Black Twitter has become a niche of its own, a subgroup of the real-life community where jokes, debates, and conversations spark exchanges that often lead to substantive impact outside the virtual hub.
To provide a space for Black Twitter users to congregate as its original hub sorts itself out, other companies have either been created or innovated to spark conversations.
Spill, created by former Twitter employees, describes itself as a “visual conversation at the speed of culture.” With its “fresh tea” everyday and viewing parties of the latest Black films, Spill is a for us, by us venture that seeks to be the go-to medium for expressing one’s thoughts. Spill is on the road to success, already taking the number-one spot for downloaded apps despite its start as invite-only.
Another option is a speciality throwback, Black Planet. The true definition of a social media network, building an online community that can integrate to real life connections is crucial to Black Planet’s mission. Its focus is on meeting new people in and beyond one’s community and to foster new relationships in business or love sourced through its online medium.
For someone who wants a streamlined network already connected to a profile, Instagram’s Threads just requires an extra download that automatically associates itself with the photo-sharing app. Essentially Instagram and Meta’s answer to compete with Twitter’s text-based format, do not have to post a picture to share information. They can quickly relay updates and thoughts to their followers on a whim.
With a variety of apps already in play to replace Black Twitter, members of the online community can rest easy knowing that although the home base may change, the culture will live on.
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