Observed Signal · Aug 17, 2023 · Research · Source: Trending Topics · Impact: 2/5 · Sentiment: Negative
Scientists Abandon X After Musk Takeover
The science magazine Nature surveyed approximately 9,200 researchers about their use of the platform X (formerly Twitter). Nearly half (47%) reported spending less time on the platform over the past six months, while 7% have stopped using it entirely. The main reasons cited were a deterioration of the platform's atmosphere since Elon Musk's acquisition in October 2022, including increases in hate speech, fake news, and fake accounts, as well as new costs for API access for research. The survey also found that 46.1% of respondents have opened accounts on alternative social networks, with Mastodon being the most popular (46.9%), followed by LinkedIn (34.8%), Instagram (27.6%), Threads (24.9%), and Facebook (22.4%). Sociologist Mark Carrigan stated that Twitter as it was known is effectively dead and urged traditional network organizations to seize the opportunity to build their own communities.
The article highlights growing discontent among scientists with X, a major social platform, and a migration to alternatives. While not a fundamental industry shift, it reflects platform governance concerns that could impact ad ecosystem health and engagement metrics.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- 47% of surveyed scientists spend less time on X, and 7% have abandoned it.
- 46.1% of respondents created accounts on alternative platforms.
- Mastodon is the most popular alternative (46.9%), followed by LinkedIn (34.8%).
- Costs for API access and increased hate speech were cited as reasons.
- The survey was conducted by Nature among about 9,200 researchers.
Connected Companies & Entities
3 Entities mapped“Zahlreiche Wissenschaftler:innen sollen unzufrieden mit der Plattform X – besser bekannt als Twitter – sein oder diese bereits verlassen hab...”
“Das zeigt zumindest eine Umfrage des Wissenschaftsmagazins Nature, bei der rund 9.200 Personen schriftlich befragt wurden....”
“Auf dem vierten Platz befindet sich Threads, das ja erst kürzlich von Meta kürzlich ins Leben gerufen wurde, mit immerhin 24,9 Prozent....”
Ontology Mapping & Concepts
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