Twitter (X) is one of the largest social media platforms, with over 150 million daily users. And since it’s a platform that lets you share your opinion on almost anything, it’s also become a tool people use to make fun of others.
Quick answer: Twitter (X) is so toxic because people can freely share their incomplete opinions. This also includes the potential dissemination of false information. And when fake news is spread, it elicits a lot of emotional reactions from people, which increases the toxicity on the platform.
Why is Twitter (X) so toxic
So today we’re going to look at the four reasons why Twitter (X) has become a toxic platform for rabid bullies and how best to avoid any potential cyberbullying.
Reason 1: The Spread of Fake News and Misinformation
One of the main reasons for toxicity on Twitter (X) is the use and spread of false information. In fact, fake news spreads at about a 70% higher rate than accurate information, and it’s often spread by people, not bots!
Here’s an example: During the 2016 US presidential election, a recurring joke circulated that Floyd Mayweather wore a hijab to the Donald Trump rally. And like many other fake news sites and articles, the general public has taken this too seriously.
So how does this make Twitter (X) toxic?
When people see new information that may shock them, they react more emotionally. This is much more impactful than seeing specific information that they have already reacted to before.
And if people are sensitive to it, they will feel a wide range of emotions when faced with specific news and events that they believe are real but are not!
If you have come across false information, be sure to review Twitter’s policy on reporting false information.
Reason 2: Unfiltered opinions mean more hate speech
Twitter (X) is raw. You can join groups that share almost any opinion that is not contrary to the community guidelines. Unfortunately, this also means that some groups are dedicated to destroying the views of others.
But, let’s emphasize one important thing here.
Everything in the app is done behind a screen. So it’s obviously easier for a troll to make fun of anyone online without suffering any consequences!
But luckily, there is a way to avoid receiving hate speech at your digital doorstep. Just create private lists of user topics that interest you and follow them carefully to view and share opinions.
With the fact that fake news is being shared on the platform, it adds fuel to the fire when people can let out what is hiding inside them.
If we add to this a limited number of characters, we obtain a formidable force of tweets which gets rid of everything in its path.
Reason 3: The limited number of characters increases negativity
Twitter (X) allows you to write almost anything you want up to 280 characters. That’s fine and short to give a brief opinion. But also short enough to share a “crazy thought” for the day.
However, the problem with a reduced character count is that it allows you to form unfiltered sentences of unfinished opinions. So it can confuse people or make them doubt the authenticity of app users. After all, you can’t really have a good conversation or share a thought-provoking opinion with a short paragraph.
Yes, you can create a Twitter (X) thread by replying to your tweets, but often your interlocutors only read the first tweet. If that tweet is about an opposing opinion and isn’t finished (due to character limitations), people may find it offensive and their emotions start to spill out. They don’t continue this thread, and your explanations aren’t read by them.
An even bigger problem arises when politicians and celebrities voice their opinion on social media apps. Due to their greater influence, their words often lead to more trolls and hateful behavior towards people, including themselves!
Since Twitter (X) displays tweets on the homepage without displaying the full thread, many people may see a distorted image of the original post.
And when misunderstood tweets are exposed to large groups of people with opposing views, it can cause a barrage of harassing tweets aimed at the original tweet and the user.
Reason 4: Hordes of Bullies Create Harassment Spirals
It’s no surprise that when something becomes popular, more and more people tend to follow that trend every day. Whether this trend is positive or negative is irrelevant. If it’s the “cool new thing”, most people who want a sense of community will follow it.
How does this relate to bullying on Twitter?
According to the definition of the Oxford dictionary, harassment consists of “seeking to harm, intimidate or coerce someone who is considered to be vulnerable”. When you watch how people challenge others’ beliefs about the app, it’s done the same way.
They coerce, intimidate and threaten the person they put forward until they get an apology. But when they form groups, the impact is greater. So much so that these bullies may have the idea of interfering in the life of that person or those close to them in a potentially dangerous way.
Now that we’ve covered the top four reasons why Twitter (X) is so toxic, let’s see how you can stay away from all forms of negativity.
How to Avoid Negativity on Twitter
If you receive negative attention on the app, you should immediately end communication with that account. The best way to do this is to block their account.
The advantage of blocking people is that they can no longer see your Tweets, images or any other media on your account, nor have any other means of contacting you on the application. This is the best solution to avoid any type of harassment.
Don’t ignore online threats. Take them seriously by doing the following:
- Document violent abuse and screenshot violent tweets.
- Be very specific in detail when documenting this information.
- If you have doubts about the people involved, for example if they contacted you through another social media application, list these people and their behavior.
Need more advice on Twitter (X) bullying or harassment? Here you will find solutions for dealing with online abuse.
Threats: If someone threatens you and you believe that these threats may endanger you or others you know, contact local law enforcement immediately.
Conclusion
Twitter (X) is a fantastic app for meeting like-minded people and sharing content, photos, videos, and opinions. However, you should be very careful when discussing topics with people online.
We covered the main reasons why Twitter (X) is so toxic: hate speech, fake news, harassment and limits on short tweets. Remember that whether it is a positive or negative interaction, topics become popular when groups of people bring them up because it creates a sense of community between people.
And the best solution to avoid all abuse is to block all accounts that reach you in a harassing way. You should take threats seriously, and we recommend that you document specific details by screenshotting Tweets and showing them to authorities. Because any additional evidence can help reassure you while resolving harassment issues.
