The Twitter Fantasy

Initial Ambiguity

Twitter's inception was marked by an undefined purpose, allowing it to be perceived in various ways. Some saw it as the future of communication, while others viewed it as a public square. This ambiguity led to diverse interpretations and uses, creating a platform where anything seemed possible. Peter Kafka notes, "From the moment Twitter was founded, no one knew what it was supposed to be, exactly, which was kind of great."

We all imagined that there was gonna be a public square. What we didn't foresee was that everybody having a voice might produce a global, voracious mob.

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This lack of a clear identity eventually contributed to challenges, as the platform became a breeding ground for misinformation and online harassment 1.

   

User Experience

The undefined nature of Twitter led to a wide range of user experiences, from casual interactions to intense public debates. Users were drawn to the platform's promise of attention, connection, and power, but this also resulted in negative experiences like bullying and misinformation. Kafka highlights, "Twitter didn't actually state what they were, and so they could be many things to many different people."

I never felt more uncomfortable, sad, hurt than when I had thousands of people bullying me through an ad.

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The platform's leaders struggled to manage these dynamics, facing challenges like deepfakes and election misinformation without a clear strategy 1.