By Sally Wu
Social media sites such as Twitter are in a constant battle to keep their users on their site and engaging with others.
But some believe that Twitter’s changes in its long-form accounts may be at the root of the problem. This theory is based on the belief that Twitter is going to reward users who “tweet” with longer length replies and also focus more on the new “best tweets” lists that are generated.
The Addiction Due To Twitter’s Long-Form:
The alleged reason behind the social media site’s shift in behavior is to draw more users to its services. On the other hand, this shift could lead to greater problems in relation to attention span, time spent on the platform, and social media addiction.
To keep its users engaged and continuously using Twitter, the company might be focusing too much on other functions, such as the “tweets of the day.”
The Long-Form Subscription changes could have more to do with the long-form feeds that have become increasingly popular, particularly with celebrities and normal users.
While these feeds have brought celebrities and personalities closer to fans, they have also contributed to the current lack of focus on the tweet. Instead, Twitter feeds are now being used to inform fans about everything from whether the person they follow is going to be appearing at a show to having a baby.
Some Twitter users simply want to see more long-form responses on the site just like comments to a FB post, which might suggest that the changes in how people can access tweets could be their way to get around the company’s decision to alter the long-form service.
But as Twitter introduces changes such as limiting replies and increasing the length of tweets, it could be creating a problem of its own.
Users who come across long-form tweets and decide to reply will likely have to reply to a lot more tweets in order to achieve the length goal.
A longish Facebook or Twitter post from your friend, celebrity or influential figure can send an already fragile teen psyche into a tailspin. With all of the information and fake news out there, it’s easy to be deceived, especially by people with ulterior motives.
A longish post definitely makes it more credible to read, or associates authority with the writer. And if it is a conspiracy theory news, it becomes instantly shareable.
The Mental health Issues
If Twitter’s changes have an effect on how users use the platform and its services, it will affect Twitter users’ mental health as well.
Some mental health experts believe that Twitter is pushing people into another form of addiction.
Long-form messaging on social media sites such as Twitter can become an addictive “screen addiction” that affects people’s lives and even their mental health.
If you are too focused on things online, you can fall out of the real world. You can withdraw and become isolated. Social media has definitely destroyed what we would call face-to-face relationships. The perception is that we can always find a quick fix through social media.
A viral post with its comments and likes on a Facebook and Twitter is kind of like a virus, and it spreads faster than the pademic. The only problem we have is – there is no vaccine to this pandemic.
(The author is a digital marketer and contributor to Startupanz.com)
