Several users belonging to the “Black Twitter” community are leaving the platform, attributing their decision to a “hostile environment” fostered by Elon Musk, whom they claim has “destroyed” the platform.
In the fall of 2022, Musk took ownership of X, previously known as Twitter. Following this, Black X users have begun to migrate to alternative social media platforms such as Spill.
Spill, a venture created by former Twitter employees Devaris Brown and Alphonzo “Phonz” Terrell, is currently in its beta stage and remains accessible only by invitation.
Despite its exclusive access, the app has drawn significant interest, with approximately 130,000 users registering for Spill in early July.
On Monday, it ranked as the third most downloaded app on the Apple App Store. Those interested in exploring this new platform can sign up for the waitlist on the Spill website.
Users can share their thoughts, gifs, and photos within the app.
“Elon dismantled Black Twitter,” said April Reign, a Spill adviser, to the Post, emphasizing that this loss has “left a significant void.”
Terrell clarified to the Washington Post that Spill wasn’t designed to be a replica of Twitter and mentioned that he uses it to promote Spill.
“Even though the internet wasn’t initially meant for them, marginalized groups have always found their space on digital platforms,” he stated. “It’s about the people, not the platform. Wherever Black individuals choose to be, it will have an impact.”
The media noted that “Black Twitter” had been instrumental in leading vital social movements, including #BlackLivesMatter.
The Giro’s Touré shared with the Post his feelings of being “triggered and exhausted” by interactions on X, adding that under Musk, there were deliberate and nonsensical changes that felt like a push out the door. Touré also mourned the lack of a “comparable platform” to X, remembering how Twitter had once served as a nationwide forum for free expression.
Reign confirmed that they continue to “utilize the service” but lamented that the liveliness, energy, and community spirit have disappeared.
An associate journalism professor at Northeastern University, Meredith Clark, remarked, “Today, the possibility of Twitter being the focal point for a similar racial justice movement as witnessed in 2020 is unfeasible.”
She further commented that Musk’s acquisition of Twitter has effectively cultivated a hostile environment for Black individuals engaging in earnest dialogue and seeking community.
