We’re Scaling Back on Twitter. Here’s Why:
At YW Boston, we strive to engage with our community and meet our constituents where they are. Twitter (now called X) has been one of those meeting places. It’s allowed us to share about our latest initiatives, spread the word on urgent events and policies, and connect with people who share in our mission to create more inclusive environments where women, people of color, and especially women of color can succeed.
As we’ve monitored the changing situation at X, we’ve hoped that trust and safety would remain a priority for the company’s leadership.
Unfortunately, there’s been an increase in hate speech and harmful language as policy changes at X have deprioritized the safety of its users. Many people of color and LGBTQ+ communities on X are feeling this acutely. And X’s suspension of some journalists’ accounts exemplifies capricious decision-making that may ultimately undermine First Amendment freedoms of the press.
We’ve decided to vastly scale back our communications on X because the platform’s tacit acceptance of hate speech and lack of regulation around it do not align with our organizational values. We say “scale back” because we recognize that X still occupies an important space in the landscape of social media, serving as a digital “town square” for advocacy efforts that benefit the communities we uplift. As such, we will continue to utilize X to communicate about critical legislation and national events that align with our advocacy priorities and impact our constituents. We will no longer use our YW Boston X account to promote our programs, and we will no longer add to the company’s coffers by purchasing advertising and boosted content.
Our LeadBoston X account will stay active, as it remains a core vehicle for amplifying the voices of our alumni and communicating the impact of their work on communities in Greater Boston. We will continue to monitor the situation and explore comparable alternative platforms that can support and amplify our LeadBoston community and serve as a full-time channel for YW Boston.
YW Boston will still remain active on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. We hope you will connect with us there, as well as through our newsletter, which you can sign up for on ywboston.org. We will continue to engage with our community across a variety of channels and we welcome your feedback on how best to stay connected.