$$Follow the money$$. As many predicted, all mainstream journalists have had Twitter accounts reinstated, but the indies and anarchist/antifascist collectives remain suspended. Another really important upheld suspension is that of Linette Lopez, a financial reporter who has extensively tracked Musk's crooked business dealings. Further reading here: https://www.thedailybeast.com/elon-musk-suspends-insiders-linette-lopez-another-reporter-who-pissed-him-off

This action by Apartheid Clyde is very legible in terms of intention. The punishment of mainstream journos is intended to produce a chilling effect. In 19th century terms, it's not death by guillotine (although he would love to do that if he could) it's a lashing on the back in the public square. If journalists want the access, clout, and reach of their Twitter accounts, they will have to avoid talking about the most sensitive subjects, and definitely shouldn't follow the money. Unless they take collective action against him, they will have been effectively disciplined.

Anarchist and antifascist media workers and collectives disseminating valuable information to the public for free don't follow the profit motive, and therefore, we are more dangerous. Our own account isn't in the top tier of Twitter reach like @igd or @CrimethInc, and so far we haven't hit the oligarch radar, but we expect a suspension to come anytime.

We encourage people not to frame these suspensions as random or whimsical. They are hypocritical, absolutely, but they have a clear purpose.

We also encourage everyone to build bases and cultivate communities off Twitter, on non-corporate social media such as Mastodon.

See this post for tips about moving here: https://kolektiva.social/@AtlantaAntifa/109525531050876643

#Twitter #elonmusk #crimethinc #igd #antifascism #LinetteLopez

Mainstream media journalist: It's too hard to build an audience on Mastodon! I cross-post the same shouty posts and one-sentence slogans as I do on the fowl app, and they just get no traction here! It must be because it's just too complicated for people to read posts from other instances or something!

Me: Okay, do you follow many interesting people here?

Journo: No.

Me: Do you reply to posts and engage with other people?

Journo: No.

Me: Do you like and share many other people's posts?

Journo: No.

Me: Do you post anything interesting, insightful or funny? Or just shouty denouncements?

Journo: Oh, I don't just cross-post shouty posts and slogans — I also do self-promotion! Subscribe now to read my latest article!

Me: Could the problem be that you've relied entirely on an algorithm that's fine-tuned to incite people by distributing the most provocative content widely to generate ad views? That the core issues are that you don't engage, contribute little to the online community, and share little content of real value and substance? That you're essentially no different to the social media bullies you so often denounce in your paywalled articles?

Journo: No. The problem isn't me, the problem is Mastodon!

#TwitterMigration #Twitter #Mastodon