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Relationships are never easy \u2014 and the roller-coaster presence of X (formally known as Twitter; we\u2019ll get to that shortly) in our lives is a testament to that fact.\u00a0<\/p>\n
This app has become an integral part of our daily routines. Through thick and thin, from world-changing events like the 2008 financial crisis to Kanye\u2019s infamous interruption of Taylor Swift, Kate and William\u2019s Royal wedding, and countless viral dramas, glow-ups and takedowns, Twitter (now X) has been a virtual cornerstone of our existence.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Throughout this nearly two-decade journey, we\u2019ve come to accept Twitter\u2019s imperfections (bots, scams, crypto bros) and its unique offers of value, which made it possible for anyone in the world to enter \u2014 and even help shape \u2014 an endless stream of conversations, moments, movements and even entire markets. Where would we be without Twitter? No matter what you think of that question, the answer is undoubtedly somewhere different.\u00a0<\/p>\n
So, just as one might feel after an unplanned breakup following a lengthy relationship, when we woke up one April morning to find Twitter has rebranded as simply \u201cX,\u201d it felt like a harsh and unexpected decision. How could a platform that companies and users invested in deeply rebrand overnight in such a seemingly cunning and clandestine manner?\u00a0<\/p>\n
While this rebrand was unexpected, it still happened after a year of Twitter that, under Elon Musk\u2019s leadership, could be described as chaotic, confusing and frustrating. Lest we forget, Elon sprang Twitter Blue on the world earlier in the year and took away hundreds of thousands of \u201cblue checks,\u201d including from world leaders like Bill Gates, Pope Francis and Beyonc\u00e9.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But this change to X was still out of left field. The move felt different, like a well-calculated and stealthy maneuver that left many, myself included, disoriented and skeptical about the platform\u2019s future and its ability to truly support and empower creators and communities \u2014 especially those in Web3.\u00a0<\/p>\n
We all can\u2019t help but think, what\u2019s next after X?\u00a0<\/p>\n
As a marketer in Web3, Twitter becoming X filled me with frustration, excitement and hope for something different; for something better. It made me dream about the mass adoption of social platforms that put people<\/em> first, not the self-interests and bottom lines of CEOs who always seem to be outrunning their egos and quarterly earnings statements.\u00a0<\/p>\n It made me ponder the value and unique benefits of social platforms that revolve around the core pillars of Web3: ownership, transparency, fairness, user-centricity, self-sovereignty and decentralization.\u00a0<\/p>\n In Web3, such underhanded tactics as Twitter\u2019s X-ification are simply impossible. Social handles, content, decision-making and governance belong (or are at the very least visible<\/em>) to creators and communities. There\u2019s no hiding what exists on-chain.\u00a0<\/p>\n You might be wondering: Didn\u2019t Elon just start pitching X <\/a>as an (unabashedly ironic) would-be salvation for the crippling effect of the algorithm on today\u2019s generation of content creators?\u00a0<\/p>\n The aforementioned irony of this new ethos is obvious, considering that X started removing headlines from news links<\/a> \u2014 an all-too-personal directive that stemmed from a young person\u2019s pet (jet) project<\/a> \u2014 the same week that Elon pledged value to creators.\u00a0<\/p>\n And lest we forget, Elon is still <\/em>banning journalists<\/a> following last year\u2019s endless drama over Hunter Biden\u2019s laptop. So, one might wonder if X is an app that actually does want to support creators and the value they build through their content, ideas and communities.\u00a0<\/p>\n Digital freedom is about having a choice and <\/em>transparency into the future of your online self, which we all know has endless implications IRL. Regardless of whether Elon or X actually cares deeply about creators, it feels like they are the ones calling the shots and removing that choice.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n So, what does life after X look like? And why is it so important to ask this if you consider yourself a believer in Web3 \u2014 or even just a better future for ourselves and the internet \u2014 regardless of what number you put after it?<\/p>\n Whether you\u2019re a creator, brand or just a regular internet-obsessed human being who spends too much time staring at your phone, community is everything. We don\u2019t get far without like-minded people to rally around an idea, product or even a silly meme.\u00a0<\/p>\n From a community perspective, the abrupt X-ification of Twitter negatively widens the gap between the people who rely on Twitter \u2014 and those on whom Twitter relies. In 2023, users of social applications want a voice and to feel like they\u2019re part of a product\u2019s direction, not sitting on the sidelines.\u00a0<\/p>\n As X continues to throw curveballs and remain insensitive to transparency, they will risk losing the loyalty of those who have supported them since the beginning. The same goes for brands and entrepreneurs, who may reevaluate their use of X to reach their customers.\u00a0<\/p>\n Read more from our opinion section:<\/strong> If we want crypto to succeed, we\u2019ve got to give X the boot<\/a><\/p>\n To those people who are simply looking to have a safe, entertaining and valuable time across digital communities and endless feeds, I hope they will consider the value of the burgeoning decentralized social ecosystem and token-powered protocols.\u00a0<\/p>\n In this brave new world of Web3, people feel confidence over having tangible ownership over their interoperable online identities, content and communities, so that no one can take them away (or reduce them to a single letter) overnight.<\/p>\n Long-term relationships are never easy, whether with a living human or a social media platform. And sometimes, even though you know the relationship has run its course, you stick around because it feels comfortable. Regarding my relationship with X, I\u2019ll certainly have my eyes and ears open to new, potentially better platforms, especially those in the incredibly energetic realm of decentralized social. The only way to find out if there\u2019s something better is to take that first step and go looking.<\/p>\n Anne is a marketing strategist, an NFT enthusiast and the CMO of Galxe, the leading platform for building web3 community. With over 12 million unique users and integrated across 16 different blockchains, Galxe has propelled the growth of Optimism, Polygon, Arbitrum, and more than 3,000 partners with reward-based loyalty programs. As a marketing expert, Anne believes that NFTs will revolutionize the way brands connect with their audiences. Prior to becoming Galxe\u2019s CMO, Anne served as the Cultural Strategist at The French Shop and as an Experiential Specialist and Strategist at VIBRANT Marketing in Canada where she led cross-cultural marketing strategies for her clients including Tim Hortons, National Bank and Coca-Cola. Anne holds a Specialized Graduate Diploma (D.E.S.S.) in Communication and Marketing from HEC Montr\u00e9al. <\/p>\n Don\u2019t miss the next big story \u2013 join our\u00a0free daily newsletter<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\nLife \u2014 and social \u2014 after X<\/h2>\n
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