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@everton137
Last active January 8, 2025 10:47
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An open letter for European leaders to stop using Twitter

An Open Letter to All European Politicians and Leaders

Abandon X/Twitter: European Politicians and Leaders Must Act Now to Protect Democracy

Since Elon Musk's acquisition of Twitter over two years ago, the platform—now rebranded as X—has taken a troubling turn. The growing influence of its CEO in shaping political narratives and promoting specific ideologies, including altering how content is prioritized to reflect his own interests, has become increasingly apparent.

As one of the world’s most visited social media platforms, with millions of active users and a significant influence on media outlets, it is alarming to see X transform from a potential hub for open political discourse into a vehicle for biased agendas.

The continued use of X/Twitter by political leaders across Europe inadvertently lends credibility to a platform increasingly used to amplify divisive rhetoric and individual interests. In doing so, they leave marginalized groups—whom they represent—with little choice but to engage in a hostile environment to have their voices heard, failing in their duty to protect and empower all constituents and ultimately undermining democratic integrity.

We urge you to take a stand against this troubling development by enacting a simple yet powerful act: cease using X/Twitter as a medium for political communication and delete or deactivate any official accounts on the platform. This symbolic gesture would:

  1. Undermine the (already compromised) credibility of X/Twitter, compelling individuals to seek out more reliable and responsible sources of information.
  2. Encourage the use and development of alternative platforms that align with European values of accountability and fairness.
  3. Foster trust among constituents by prioritizing a more open, decentralized, and diverse communication channels.

Europe has long been a beacon for democratic principles and innovation. By leading the way in rejecting platforms that compromise these ideals, you can significantly reduce the influence of disinformation campaigns that threaten the fabric of democratic societies.

We call upon all Members of European Parliaments, national leaders, and local officials to act now, for the future of democracy is at stake.

@everton137
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Was the post removed from r/europe?

@lppedd Yes. They argued that it was self-promotion. I tried to argue, but I didn't get any feedback and I was down voted. Never mind, I think I have great suggestions above. I will try to improve the letter as soon as I finish my work and publish it in some suggested platforms. I like the idea of the EU one.
image

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everton137 commented Jan 7, 2025

@lppedd @TeamStriebigSebastian @johnshorter @aresprom thank you very much for your feedback. I tried to incorporate all suggestions that I believe it could fit in this open letter. I already submitted it to the EU Petitions Portal, and now I am looking for a petition platform for more online engagement.

In case I have time and energy, it's possible I can create a website just for it and add some further suggestion and ideas I saw here.

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lppedd commented Jan 8, 2025

I'd create a website with a likes/visits count, to boost engagement and centralize where to get the information.

Then I'd send an email directly to EU representatives.

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@lppedd I want to create a simple GitHub page, with a very clean layout. I just want to check how easy it would be to have it in several languages. I think it's possible to add some visitors counting on a Github page.

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lppedd commented Jan 8, 2025

Yup, you should be able to integrate views and likes into a Pages site using external services.

A quick search gave me LikeBtn for likes, for example.

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