With the purchase of the social media website Twitter by new Texas resident Elon Musk, we asked readers about their interest in using the platform.
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Here is a sample of the responses we received.
“All social media is a tool to reach the masses. I’m on Facebook not to support Zuckerberg but because that’s one way to reach the unreached. I take what he means for evil, and I use it for good. Same with Twitter. Maybe it will improve; maybe it won’t. People need to stop looking for villains and heroes and just buckle down and get to work.” – Julie McCarty
“The thing to remember is that, in the end, Musk is a business owner. He’ll do what he must to make Twitter a profitable business. If that means more ‘moderation,’ he’ll do that. If it means more free expression, he’ll do that. But that’s the great thing about capitalism….as customers, we can influence him with our presence and our wallets.” – Jason Kerr
“Social media operated by unknown unseen actors is at best a data mining program, and at worst a deep state surveillance operation designed to compile enemy target lists. Neither is beneficial to the unsuspecting user.” – David Clark
“I’ve never had a Twitter account but now I’m considering it due to the purchase by Musk.” – Lauri Helms
“I rarely use Twitter and really only had an account there to aid me with online contest entries (whenever I can get additional contest entries by doing something on Twitter). But with Musk taking ownership, I am slightly more likely to use it a little more often. At least I hope I would be far less likely to get banned on Twitter for expressing my views there once Elon changes Twitter’s community guidelines.” – David Demaree
“I have little to no interest in social media. I got off Facebook 2 years ago. The censoring of truth is just one issue. People get offended way too easily and I have no patience nor time for all the drama. Might I consider Twitter in the future because Elon Musk owns it now? Probably not.” – Cathy Blake
“I clicked more likely on the survey, but it depends upon Elon Musk’s changing the platform to more of a free speech venue. If they continue to lock out conservative voices I will never get on Twitter.” – David Leese
“Twitter has always been a sewer and I never understood the interest in the company (real or contrived).” – Lisa Buck
“Never used it. You can find more intelligent conversations during a teenage girls pajama party…and it’s much less harmful!” – John R. Makow
“I have no interest in social media. It is not, and never should be, a substitute for one on one personal interaction.” – Cynthia Wills
“I’ve never understood the point of Twitter – to me it just seems like an echo chamber that makes people feel more important than they actually are.” – Brian Schatz
“I cancelled my accounts with both Facebook and Twitter because both had become such a cesspool of hatred and vitriol. … I suspect it will take a long time (if ever), Musk can turn the Twitter ship around.” – Barbara Jean Spence
“I only used Twitter to follow President Trump and when he was banned I discontinued using Twitter and have no interest in returning.” – Stephen Keister
