As Twitter becomes X, it’s bye-bye birdie and hello random letter. While changing names seemed sudden to many users, Elon Musk has long been vocal about using his platform to shake things up and his desire to create a super app that acts as a one-stop-shop of internet use. Whether this rebranding will lead to such an all-encompassing site is yet to be seen. In the meantime, here’s what you need to know:
What’s in a Name?
Musk’s choice of name has caused a fair amount of head-scratching among internet users, not only because of its mystery and simplicity but because renaming such a juggernaut might prove somewhat futile; no matter what it’s officially called, it’ll always be Twitter to its dedicated users.
Even so, the name choice is very Elon, given that the letter X has popped up in his other endeavors, including SpaceX, the first X.com (which became PayPal), and Model X, one of the early models of Tesla. Of course, his son’s name also prominently features the letter.
What This Means for Users
Abandoning the bird for the letter X doesn’t mean much for social media users just yet, but that doesn’t mean nothing’s different. The platform has been fairly staunch in its support of free speech, which has made it a more controversial site and increased the spread of misinformation, especially around hot topics like elections and vaccines.
Some people have signed off for good as a result, trying their luck at Threads, instead (a Meta site that functions much like Twitter). This might be a feasible solution but, thanks to Google+, we know people have a hard time starting anew when it comes to building friend bases and followers. Thus, no one yet knows if Threads is only stringing users along or if it can truly rival its well-established predecessor.
Musk’s push toward paid subscriptions, including paying for verification, has also been a thorn in the side of some users, particularly when most social media platforms can be used for free. Others aren’t so disillusioned and welcome the increased character count that verification affords.
WeChat’s Inspiration
If Musk has his way, it’s likely that the future of X will resemble WeChat, the uber-popular Chinese platform used for everything from chatting to sending mobile payments. However, what works in one country doesn’t necessarily work in another, and Western users don’t seem as enthusiastic about combining socializing with in-app shopping, particularly given the volatile and unstable nature of cryptocurrency.
For the time being, the platform formerly known as Twitter hasn’t changed a lot, at least not from the perspective of the average user. But that certainly doesn’t mean changes aren’t coming. After all, Musk is nothing if not wildly ambitious.
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