Poll to consider banning twitter links from being posted on FSU

Should twitter links be banned from the website?

  • Yes, ban them

  • No, don't ban them


Results are only viewable after voting.
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Simone411

To Boldly Explore Figure Skating Around The World
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21,030
I'm rethinking my decision because if it's reported each and every time that someone posts a link from twitter now X, it will literally be a pain in @$$ for the admins. If it has to do with figure skating, I guess I would be okay with it.

I don't have an account anyway. I believe we're all adults here. If someone doesn't wish to click on the link, then don't do it. None of us are part of a borg clan here. I believe we all can still use our minds and think for ourselves. If you don't wish to click on a twitter now X link, then don't do it.
 

MacMadame

Doing all the things
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62,812
It is not whataboutism. I am deeply concerned about the influence that TikTok has on the US and our people.
All social media companies cooperate with all sorts of governments including China. They sell our data. They construct products designed to addict us and our kids and that have caused harm to kids, especially teenagers. All. of. them.

Banning TikTok won't fix any of that.

You do realize that TikTok is owned by the Chinese government. The same government that has committed genocide (among other things) against its own people. I don’t find that to be ok.
TikTok is not owned by the Chinese government. It is owned by a company just like Meta (Facebook, Instagram, Threads, WhatsApp) and a host of others whose names I can't keep up with. In fact, it's owned by a billionaire just like them. :)

All links to X should be auto-translated into "I'm a Plushy wannabe twit."
Putin. A Putin-wannabe twit. ;)
 

purple skates

Shadow Dancing
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23,592
TikTok is not owned by the Chinese government. It is owned by a company just like Meta (Facebook, Instagram, Threads, WhatsApp) and a host of others whose names I can't keep up with. In fact, it's owned by a billionaire just like them. :)
I knew someone would call me on that - I was in a hurry when I posted.

For those who think TikTok is harmless:

Remember - I’m in the don’t ban X camp, but if X were to be banned here then I would like TikTok to be banned as well. Also, for the record, I don’t use or click on either platform, unless it is by mistake, which occasionally happens.
 

Theatregirl1122

Needs a nap
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34,053
I will say, whatever decision is made, I don't feel like the amount or type of information posted on twitter should factor in to it. Either there is a good reason to boycott or not, and that reason isn't whether or not it is useful.
 

On My Own

Well-Known Member
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8,827
I knew someone would call me on that - I was in a hurry when I posted.

For those who think TikTok is harmless:

Remember - I’m in the don’t ban X camp, but if X were to be banned here then I would like TikTok to be banned as well. Also, for the record, I don’t use or click on either platform, unless it is by mistake, which occasionally happens.
I don't like tiktok either - but how does that link say tiktok is worse than twitter, which is owned by someone who threw a Nazi salute, and has in general engaged in white supremacist, antisemitic behaviour pretty constantly, and is now spending his time gaslighting people into believing none of that ever happened? On the very platform he owns?

Western governments worry Chinese authorities could force ByteDance to hand over TikTok data on American users, exposing sensitive information. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said Friday that China’s government has never and will not ask companies to “collect or provide data, information or intelligence” held in foreign countries, adding the U.S. “has not provided any evidence so far to prove that TikTok threatens U.S. national security.”


ByteDance says 60% of its shares are owned by non-Chinese investors such as U.S investment firms Carlyle Group and Kohlberg Kravis Roberts and Japan’s SoftBank Group. Employees own 20% and its founders the remaining 20%.

This is not the place for this though, so I urge people to engage with this on PI.
 

purple skates

Shadow Dancing
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23,592
I don't like tiktok either - but how does that link say tiktok is worse than twitter,
Never said it was worse or better. Just saying both platforms have issues and if one is banned, so should be the other.

I don’t want either banned, I want people to be able to individually decide to not engage.
 

Prancer

Eating Rhetorical Apples
Staff member
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58,351
Just saying both platforms have issues and if one is banned, so should be the other.
This is one of my problems with this proposed ban. I realize that people are saying that this is a one-off, limited to just this one platform this one time. But experience has been that once we do one ban, we will be pressed to do more and a ban on X will be held up to us precedent; people (and not just purple skates) have already suggested others. There would be some validity in that, too, IMO. Are we all going to agree to draw the line on only banning forums owned by creepy people who give Nazi salutes and leave it at that?

I also really dislike the argument that there are usually alternatives to posting links to X. For one thing, that's not always true; see Sylvia's post. For another, why should someone who has an account on X and has no issues with X personally have to go out their way to find alternative links to post here because some here have an issue with X? If you see a subject and it intrigues you, you too can find alternative links if there are some more to your liking, given how easy it is.

I was told yesterday that all the figure skaters abandoned X long ago, but I just found a Jason Brown post from last week on X. So maybe they aren't ALL gone? I dunno; I don't have time to look up a lot of skaters to find out, nor am I going to track down their other social media accounts to find out if they also post the same stuff elsewhere.

This is a community, so I think we should be open to hearing people out. I just want to be very clear on what it is that I am supposed to be voting for.
 

On My Own

Well-Known Member
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8,827
I'd suggested the ban based off what I saw on reddit - but I realize it wasn't entirely clear in my OP.

I think even after the vote, the decision will be left up to the mod team, which I've been clear about. You can only do what is possible and appropriate, and I for one will respect that. If that means "we can't do anything" then I'll accept that.
 

MacMadame

Doing all the things
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62,812
For those who think TikTok is harmless:
I didn't say it was harmless. I said that we need protection from all social media and that focusing on TikTok is a distraction. (Well, I hinted at that last part. Trying not to get into PI territory.)
 

farahfan

Active Member
Messages
178
I'm not for banning any social media platform because of the morals of who owns it. Information is information. Twitter/X is a legal platform and a legal business.
Our streaming services are full of films and music made by morally defunct people and even convicted criminals, yet we still patronize them. Let's not be hypocrites.
Let people post whatever they want. If you don't care to open the link of a certain platform, then Google the information and find it somewhere else.
 

Vagabond

Well-Known Member
Messages
26,696
You do realize that TikTok is owned by the Chinese government. The same government that has committed genocide (among other things) against its own people. I don’t find that to be ok.
Umm....


And, yes, I realize not all of us are in the United States, though you and I are.

As to the subject of this thread: We have voted. Now let's let SHARPIE make her own decision.
 

Karen-W

YMCA is such a catchy tune!
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48,296
I was told yesterday that all the figure skaters abandoned X long ago, but I just found a Jason Brown post from last week on X. So maybe they aren't ALL gone? I dunno; I don't have time to look up a lot of skaters to find out, nor am I going to track down their other social media accounts to find out if they also post the same stuff elsewhere.
As last night's tragedy demonstrates, certainly plenty of skaters do still have X accounts - Ethan Peal & Luke Wang amongst them.

I am opposed to this proposed ban/boycott/whatever. I don't have TikTok or BlueSky, so if I'm interested in something that someone has posted from one of those social media platforms, I'll seek it out on IG or X.

Most of us are adults, if you don't want to follow a link from X, just don't click on it.
 

purple skates

Shadow Dancing
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23,592
Umm....


And, yes, I realize not all of us are in the United States, though you and I are.

As to the subject of this thread: We have voted. Now let's let SHARPIE make her own decision.
I did not quote something that you said. The poster I quoted was (in my opinion) defending TikTok while telling us that the sins of Musk were worse.

I’m not sure why you found it necessary to respond.
 

On My Own

Well-Known Member
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8,827
So not quite 100 people? That's not a lot of input for a board this size.
The total of participants is 72 for the record.

I’m not sure why you found it necessary to respond.
He is saying, I believe, that you as an American wouldn't be able to view those links anyway, so not sure why you feel strongly. Those are already banned in some countries, not just the US (although IIRC the order is stayed right now). Twitter is only banned in dictatorships, and I don't believe that will change anytime soon.

It's also false that TikTok is owned by the Chinese government.

And I don't disagree with a tiktok ban. It's amusing to see Americans arguing against a ban on twitter from a single forum for whatever reason, when their country banned a website as a whole and is also expressing concerns about RedNote and DeepSeek. Something tells me such concerns of information accessibility will somehow vanish for certain posters for those websites and apps.

Not a topic for here though.
 
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purple skates

Shadow Dancing
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23,592
@On My Own, I believe that Trump stayed the ban on TikTok. Apparently he’s popular there. It was down for about 15 hours, from what I heard kids saying at the rink, then back up. I’m not sure the status at this moment, as I don’t participate.
 

MacMadame

Doing all the things
Messages
62,812
So not quite 100 people? That's not a lot of input for a board this size.
The vast majority of the board likely have no idea there even is a poll. I do think you are getting input from many of FSUs most engaged posters though if that matters.
 

once_upon

Well-Known Member
Messages
33,569
The vast majority of the board likely have no idea there even is a poll. I do think you are getting input from many of FSUs most engaged posters though if that matters.
Or even care enough to find out what the poll is about

Just roll over the links.
 

manhn

Well-Known Member
Messages
15,169
The vast majority of the board likely have no idea there even is a poll. I do think you are getting input from many of FSUs most engaged posters though if that matters.

I only noticed it because it was the top thread under Board Business when I randomly was on the homepage. It is not on my my New Posts list, oh well, the consequences of ignore.

I voted Ban just because I hate him that much, but I also don’t want the mods to have more work on their plate. I don’t click on the link. The posters who rely on social media who I trust and admire, I am sure are doing their best to provide alternatives if such exist.
 

On My Own

Well-Known Member
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8,827
The timing of the poll is technically already over. I'd suggested a mod post it, but SHARPIE told me I could instead.

If people want to repost the poll, they may, and can make clear what will (or will not) be done. I am not sure what to make of the sample size. I would cut a sample size from the regular posters, but it's also true that there are many readers who probably do log in but don't post or participate. And there are many readers who don't have accounts at all. So it's up to the mods.
 

text_skate

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,066
I wouldn't ban twitter. For me the best options are
  • (to encourage users) not to post twitter links if there are alternatives to content (bluesky, mastodon, ...)
  • (technical) disable embedding, so there is no display
  • (recommendation) posters can copy and paste content and link via link-option
 
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