The following is from Kara Swisher, tech expert journalist:
A few things: 1. Depending on how much critical staff has left & where — it’s possible tho not probable the service could shut down at any time & for a short or long time. Relax as it used to do this a lot with the dreaded fail whale logo (see old & new one). It usually restores.
2. That said, I downloaded my archive recently — and you should as it is a record of you. It is likely that there are big security issues & your info could get hacked. This is also not uncommon, but a pain. If you have a credit card loaded in, be on alert.
3. There are alternatives like Mastodon, http://Post.news, LinkedIn, Insta, TikTok, but they’re all different and is not easy to recreate your social network here elsewhere. In fact, you will not. Accept this. Btw Twitter is not going away either — it may just get suckier.
4. I’m giving feedback & advice to former Waze ceo @noam as he has $$$ from vcs, knows how to build a network, I like the concept & he’s not a horse’s ass (it’s a low bar these days). The service is built but in early beta, so it lacks the features it needs. This is also common.
5. With all these services, you can crosspost to Twitter, which I reiterate will not disappear. You can stay. But it may get worse & obvi Elon is acting badly. This might signal he’s way over his skis or he’s playing Spock chess none of us mere mortals can grok. Skis IMHO.
6. In stages of grief, this is anger part since why the fuck has a billionaire manchild done this to something you love & been such a menace to employees? Who knows? But it’s not your problem but his & his bankers. You have used lots of online services you don’t anymore. Whatev!
7. Will life go on? Why yes & so may Twitter if Elon gets his head out of his red-pilled ass, focuses and stops with a performative weak sauce Trump impersonation. Even Trump sucks at being Trump these days (see last speech). In any case, you can stay or go. It’s a free Internet.
8. Where you go next is not like here. Suck it up, kids. We will meet again. Put down your phones and hug your kid. Read a news website directly. Learn to text. Or speak to people. But don’t panic. It’s a long life. We will find @DougJBalloon somewhere.
9. I met my wife @katzish for the first time on DMs after we got set up. We now have two more kids and so for this alone, Twitter has been worth it. Btw: Sol just turned 1, so wish him a happy bday!
10. Oh Elon, I say in the most mom voice ever: I expected better. Oh, and no matter what your flying monkeys say — remember they all get paid for by you in some way — I’m not the asshole. Happy to talk any time, tho I warn you, I am all out of fucks:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/on-with-kara-swisher/id1643307527?i=1000586088919
Originally tweeted by Kara Swisher (@karaswisher) on November 18, 2022.
I am over at Mastodon under the handle @digby@mastodon.social
I am a little befuddled but I’ll figure it out eventually. I’m also on @digby@counter.social. And whatever else comes up I guess until we all figure out what’s happening.
For those of you not on twitter and you don’t give a damn about any of this — now back to our scheduled programming.