RACISM + CULTURE
Why Many Black People Are Joining The Great Digital Migration
Some are seeking greener pastures or bluer skies
Millions of social media users have abandoned the platform formally known as Twitter to start anew on BlueSky and other platforms. For those reading the tea leaves, this Great Digital Migration has been a long time coming. When Elon Musk bought the platform in 2022, he lifted bans on accounts that spread hateful messages and conspiracies, a decision that cultivated a toxic environment. One investigation conducted by the Center for Countering Digital Hate revealed that the use of racial slurs soared after Musk bought Twitter, and so did engagement on those posts. The use of the n-word, in particular, rose 202% compared to the average daily rate. Black people faced a landmine of racist attacks across the platform. Consequently, many Black people have joined this mass exodus of the platform, deciding to rebuild their digital communities elsewhere.
Millions are packing a bag, in this case, their content and followers, and leaving X, the platform formally known as Twitter, behind. Many have turned to BlueSky, an open-source toolbox platform run by AT Protocol, as an alternative. While the mobile app has been available since 2021, the recent shift in policies on X, the re-emergence of…
