Farewell, Twitter

Today marks the end of an era. After much delay, I’ve finally deleted my Twitter¹ account. It’s a decision I’ve pondered for a long time, and now that it’s done, I find myself both sad and relieved.

While I’ve wanted to do this for a while, I kept postponing it, perhaps underestimating (or overestimating) the impact closing an account might have on a platform. However, after recent events, it became too much. I want this departure to symbolise my dissociation from everything the transition from Twitter to x represents and the current state of social media in general.

I’d be lying if I said this was an easy decision. During my approximately 15 years on the platform, my usage changed significantly. In recent years, I’ve been using it mostly passively - reading content and occasionally jumping into ongoing discussions, rarely sharing my own thoughts or promoting my activities. One of my biggest hesitations in permanently closing my account was undoubtedly letting go of certain professional connections I’d made throughout my career. Though many of these connections are no longer active, they undeniably contributed to my professional growth, especially considering all the people I met at various conferences. These were connections not quite close enough to warrant other social networks or phone/email exchanges, and Twitter filled that unique gap.

Another aspect I’ll miss is the abundance of silly memes that consistently filled my timeline and brought countless smiles over the years.

Before permanently deactivating my account, I took one last look at my followers and was surprised to see names I never imagined were still there, either following me silently or some I didn’t even know were there.

Recent events have led me to reassess my priorities in terms of support and time investment. The platform’s shift under musk, its rebranding to “x,” and numerous dubious decisions made in the name of “freedom” indicated that I no longer wished to be involved. This week’s events served as the tipping point; it was time to step away from the circus.

Now that my account is gone, I feel better. There’s a sense of freedom that comes with leaving behind something that no longer aligns with your values. I’m hopeful this will free up time for more productive activities. That’s not to diminish everything I’ve gained from Twitter—the learning, the laughs, and the memories will always hold a special place for me. But it was finally time to turn the page.

I probably should have done this sooner. Anyway, goodbye, Twitter. Thanks for all the fish.