Why I'm leaving Twitter.

I've stuck it out and continued participating on Twitter while Elon Musk has run it into the ground, made it progressively more inhospitable, and thought-ballooned ludicrous ideas like charging people for a worse experience.  But now, I've had enough.

Among other accounts, I have muted and blocked "PragerU" on Twitter.  Why, you ask?  Because it pretends to be a "university" while posting factually incorrect (and hateful) misinformation.  I've worked for three universities, and I don't have time for that sort of nonsense.

This week, Twitter has been showing me content "promoted by PragerU" - specifically an ad/trailer for some anti-trans video - at the top of my "Explore" page, and also linking to it at the top of "What's Happening."

Now, PragerU probably doesn't know or care that I'm not trans and never have been.  They probably also don't care that I get along just fine with trans people I encounter in my daily life, and think they should be left alone to live their lives, like anyone else.  But anyway.  See that little ••• circle at the top right?  Gee, I wonder what it does!

Oh, good, it's going to let me stop seeing the ad!  I'll just click it, and...

Yup, the ad went away, and now I just need to refresh.  Great!  Okay, I'll refresh, and...

Uh, guys?  That's the exact same video ad I just told you I don't want to see.  Looks like you forgot to implement the back end for that button I just clicked.  Spectacularly bad.

If I keep getting an ad I don't want, I "change the channel," be it TV, radio, or internet.  I won't be using Twitter as a source of news or info any more.  At most, I will tweet links to content other places, such as right here.

Goodnight X, goodnight Musk.