As platforms compete to become the next Twitter, a gold rush emerges

Twitter Inc. is on its way out.

At least, that’s what those who’ve declared their switch to another platform have said. The fact that they made these statements on Twitter and then stayed to watch shows how tough it has been for users to sever their addiction since Elon Musk took a hatchet to the network.

Amid the chaos, a rising number of alternatives vie for the attention of Twitterati. Some sprung from the ashes of Twitter, while others are making a comeback after languishing in the shadows for years. Here are several options for people looking for a Plan B, as well as how they compare to the Blue Bird.

Mastodon

The German social media site launched six years ago by Eugen Rochko is the early favourite for the title of “the next Twitter,” but it has divided views. For starters, it isn’t even a single website. Mastodon is an open-source software platform that allows anybody to create their own social networking service. If you like, you may connect to other Mastodon-based sites to form a “fediverse,” which allows members of one site (also known as an instance or a server) to communicate with those on other sites. The website www.movetdon.org helps individuals to discover those they follow on Twitter automatically, making the switch easier.

This decentralised, censorship-resistant method is popular among supporters. Content moderation is performed at the individual instance by the group’s designated hall monitors, and individuals who do not comply may be barred or expelled. As a result, censorship can be unpredictable – what is permissible on one server may be prohibited on another. Opponents claim that, in addition to the inconsistent approach to free expression, it is overly unclear. The onboarding process is complex, and even choose which server to sign up for is a mind-boggling decision that drives people off. Detractors claim that Mastodon is a bad imitation of Twitter, yet this is an unjust critique. It was never intended to be a carbon copy of the original, but rather to provide an alternate method to create and administer social media. It’s a spectacular success in this regard, but that doesn’t imply it’ll become the new town square.

Post

According to its founder Noam Bardin, the startup “will be a civil place to debate ideas; learn from experts, journalists, individual creators, and each other; converse freely; and have some fun”. The former CEO of traffic software Waze (later acquired by Google) has put Post behind a velvet ring as it creates the product and scales it, so new users may have to wait. Headlines, text formatting, lengthier postings, and tipping are among the innovations. It, like Twitter, tags things with a #hashtag and offers both favourite and trending categories so users can quickly locate what interests them. You can comment to someone else’s post, but are cautioned that “discussions are moderated for civility”.

Post, which is more centralised than Mastodon, is expected to have the same content-moderation difficulties as Twitter, though dialogue appears to be cordial thus far. A look at the user base suggests that it may wind up attracting Twitter’s progressive population, who want greater control over how they share information and communicate with others. Post has a decent chance of becoming the next centre of discussion if it can swiftly expand and integrate people while maintaining pleasant and amicable chats. To make it work, though, Bardin and his team will have to make difficult judgements regarding design, content, and economic model.

Koo

This app, based in the Indian IT centre of Bengaluru, is the closest thing to a Twitter clone thus far – its logo is a yellow bird. If you want to emulate the original’s familiar feed and engagement, here is the place to go. It also allows you to migrate your whole Twitter library and follow individuals who have already made the switch. Koo gained a significant boost in attention three years ago when Twitter got into a conflict with the Indian government as Prime Minister Narendra Modi tried to restrict social media under the pretence of combating terrorism. Many government officials and Indian users flocked to Koo as a local alternative to the American site. Mayank Bidawatka, the organization’s founder, denies that it is right-wing or pro-Modi. “We believe in freedom of speech as much as we believe in being responsible and honesty in speech,” he explained in a blog post.

Because India has over 20 current languages, Koo distinguishes itself by enabling multi-lingual positions. When I asked Koo users – it now has over five million worldwide — what made it distinctive, the overwhelming reaction was that it was more pleasant, entertaining, and respectful than Twitter. Koo’s main issue, like its competitors’, will be guaranteeing respectful dialogue – it employs a combination of machine learning, community reporting, and moderating. If it can straighten out some early issues, Koo may have the best chance of accurately reproducing the original. The main question will be whether users want to return to the site they left or start over with something new.

T2.social

This startup is the most straightforward attempt to profit off Twitter’s impending demise. Gabor Cselle, who was most recently at Google, began working on this initiative the day Musk began firing employees and had only 100 users by late December. The team, like Post, has a waiting list and wants to construct the product before releasing it to the public. However, a recent interview with TechMeme’s Ride Home podcast reveals that their intention is to stick as closely to the original Twitter model as feasible. The product’s biggest test will be whether it can be built and scaled in time to catch the tsunami of Twitter migrants.

Substack

The email newsletter service is not an apparent substitute for Twitter’s real-time nature, but it is gaining popularity. Many content creators, unsure of what to do next, have asked their audience to join up for their Substack. This might be a stopgap until they can redirect users to a new social-media platform. However, Substack may grasp the opportunity and incorporate additional involvement.

Discord & Reddit

Though they are quite different services, Twitter’s instability provides an excellent opportunity to experiment with alternative platforms. Discord features private communities, often known as servers, where like-minded people may hang out. Its user base is mostly gaming-related, but this is not fixed in stone, and we may anticipate its community to grow with time. Reddit provides controlled message boards that have evolved into a mix of stock recommendations, charming memes, and conspiracy theories. Because of the content silos, you’re unlikely to come across things that offend you — unless you’re wanting to be offended. However, it may also serve as an echo chamber, breeding disinformation.

Truth Social & Hive

Whatever your political beliefs, the truth is that attempts to divert viewers away from Twitter come from all sides of the political aisle, and these are among the offers. Truth Social was formed by former President Donald Trump after he was kicked off Twitter. There’s no evidence that either will reach the scale of Twitter, and users should be mindful of allegations regarding security flaws.

Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube

It’s simple for Twitter users to forget about these sites, and it’s just as easy to discard them. However, they have significantly more users than Twitter and incredibly committed followers. Adapting to the increasingly visual nature of these larger platforms is a significant issue for text-based content providers such as journalists, policy wonks, and tech elites. That is, nevertheless, the reality of modern social media. If you can get beyond the beauty-myth images and duck-lip selfies, they may be great sites to establish a following and learn new things. And text isn’t completely out of place – material on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok frequently use photographs, graphics, and words to convey a point quickly with fewer constraints than Twitter.

Musk’s overhaul of Twitter has prompted many to turn elsewhere, while naysayers are mostly waiting and seeing. While they do so, competitors may gain traction and provide a genuine alternative. A final winner will not be chosen immediately. Those seeking for a backup plan should instead sample the possibilities and proceed carefully.

Main Image:Twitter headquarters in San Francisco, on Oct. 26, 2022.Godofredo A. Vásquez / AP

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