EFF Is Leaving X
The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) has announced its departure from X, citing a massive drop in impressions and a failure of the platform to uphold its digital rights principles. This move sparks debate on Hacker News about the efficacy of such protests, the actual decline of X's reach, and the practicalities of maintaining an online presence. It highlights the ongoing struggle for digital rights organizations to navigate shifting social media landscapes while remaining true to their mission.
The Lowdown
The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) has officially announced its departure from X, formerly Twitter, after nearly two decades on the platform. The decision, though significant, is presented as a pragmatic response to declining engagement and the platform's shift away from values EFF champions.
- Dramatic Decline in Reach: EFF reported a staggering drop in impressions, plummeting from 50-100 million per month in 2018 to just 2 million by 2024, despite a similar posting frequency. In 2023, 1,500 posts garnered only 13 million impressions for the entire year.
- Unmet Expectations Post-Acquisition: Following Elon Musk's acquisition, EFF had hoped for improvements in transparent content moderation, real security (like end-to-end encryption for DMs), and greater user control. These hopes were largely dashed, with critical changes like the dissolution of the human rights team.
- Critique of X's Evolution: EFF acknowledges that Twitter was never perfect, having criticized it for years. However, they note a significant change under current ownership, perceiving the platform as diminished and increasingly irrelevant to their core mission.
- Rationale for Staying on Other 'Walled Gardens': Addressing the apparent contradiction of staying on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, EFF explains their presence is strategic. They aim to reach and educate vulnerable users who are deeply embedded in these ecosystems, where crucial organizing and community support often happen.
- Shifting Battlegrounds: EFF concludes that X is no longer where the essential fight for digital rights is taking place, choosing instead to focus their efforts on their own website, Bluesky, Mastodon, LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Facebook.
In essence, EFF is reallocating its resources to platforms where it believes it can most effectively advocate for digital rights and engage with a relevant audience, signaling a strategic retreat from X.
The Gossip
Calculated Concerns or Performative Posturing?
Many commenters questioned whether EFF's departure was truly strategic or merely a performative act. Some argued that reducing posting frequency, rather than leaving entirely, would be a more practical solution, especially given the 'low effort' nature of tweeting. Others pointed out that even a few million impressions might still be valuable and that the decline could also be attributed to EFF's own content strategy.
Deciphering the Drop: Impressions and Algorithms
The drastic drop in impressions cited by EFF sparked discussion on its causes. Commenters pondered whether it was primarily due to X's algorithm changes, a mass user exodus, or a combination of factors. There was some agreement that the platform has significantly changed from its 'Twitter' days, making the reported decline believable.
Engagement Endeavors: Beyond the Post
While some commenters initially downplayed the effort of tweeting itself, a nuanced perspective emerged regarding the true cost of engagement. One key point highlighted that the difficulty often lies not in posting content, but in managing the responses and dealing with the 'weirdos' who engage with posts, indicating that an organization's 'effort' extends far beyond simple content creation to include community management and navigating platform toxicity.