RACISM ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Can a White Billionaire Really Destroy Black Twitter? Only Time Will Tell
It’s a little early to write a eulogy for Black Twitter
Elon Musk, the wealthiest man in the world, is attempting to secure a deal to buy Twitter for 44 billion dollars. When the news hit, many users felt dread in the pit of their stomachs. Because of Musk’s all-or-nothing approach to free speech, many fear his takeover will lead to racist, sexist, homophobic, and otherwise hateful speech returning to the platform en masse. As a result, thousands left the platform, many following behind some high-profile Twitter accounts. One journalist even prophesized the end of Black Twitter. But, I have my doubts about that eulogy.
For one, White men founded Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and even MySpace. These platforms are primarily owned and operated by White, wealthy, privileged men, and users have systematically used these platforms to peddle racism in the name of free speech. Although, to be fair, social media companies have made efforts to curtail some hate speech, none of these platforms are bigotry free. A study showed Black women are the most likely to endure harassment and abuse online, and this study included Twitter. My point is that White men owning platforms is nothing new. Do people honestly…
