On Thursday, amid the departures of senior executives responsible for data privacy, cybersecurity and regulatory compliance, he warned the rest of the company’s employees that Twitter may not exist if it can’t figure out how to bring in at least half the revenue from subscriptions.

While it’s unclear whether drama will drive many users away — in fact, sitting in the front row in the chaos may prove entertaining to some — little-known sites to over Mastodon and even Tumblr emerging as new (or innovative) alternatives. Here’s a look at some of them.

(Oh, and if you leave Twitter and want to keep your tweet history, you can download it by going to your profile settings and clicking “your account,” then “download repository.” store your data.”)

MASTODON

With the same name as an extinct elephant-like mammal, the Mastodon has emerged as a leading contender among curious people about life beyond bluebirds. It shares some similarities with Twitter, but there are some big differences — and it’s not just its version of tweets that are officially called “toots.”

Mastodon is a decentralized social network. That means it’s not owned by a single company or billionaire. Instead, it is made up of a network of servers, each running independently but connecting so that people on different servers can communicate with each other. There are no ads as Mastodon is funded by donations, grants and other means.

The mastodon feed is chronological, unlike FacebookInstagram, TikTok or Twitter all use algorithms to get people to spend as much time on a website as possible.

It can be a little tricky trying to sign up for Mastodon. Because each server is run separately, you need to first select a server you want to join, then go through the steps to create an account and agree to the server’s rules. There are generic ones and based on preference and location, but in the end it won’t really matter. Once you’re in, the feed is reminiscent of Twitter. You can write (up to 500 characters), post photos or videos, and follow accounts and view general public feeds.

Mastodon’s website says: “We set out a vision of a social network that no billionaire can buy and own, and strive to create a more flexible global platform without the incentive to profit”.

Currently, the site has more than 1 million users, nearly half of which signed up after Musk took over Twitter on October 27, according to Founder Eugen Rochko.

Another option, Counter Social, also runs a chronological, ad-free social platform that is user-sponsored. To prevent foreign influence activities, Counter Social says it blocks access to Russia, China, Iran, North Korea, Pakistan and Syria. It prides itself on providing one-click translations into more than 80 languages. It has more than 63 million monthly users, according to its website.

CLUB

miss the club, back when we were all locked down and couldn’t talk face to face? It’s the loud audio-only app that has been somewhat overshadowed by the parody Twitter Spaces, which also lets people talk to each other (think conference calls, podcasts, or “audio chats”) ) on topics of interest.

When you join, Clubhouse lets you start or listen to conversations on a variety of topics, from technology to pro sports, parenting, Black literature, etc. No posts, photos or video — only people’s avatars and their voices. The conversation can be of an intimate nature, such as a phone call, or it can include thousands of people listening to a talk with a bold name, such as a conference or stage interview.

SUBSTACK and MEDIUM

For longer reading, newsletters and general information absorption, these sites are probably closest to the blogging era of the early 2000s. You can read both without registration or paying, but some writers, creators, and podcasters who create premium content for paid subscribers.

TUMBLR

Tumblr, that’s all but leave to die, seems to be enjoying somewhat of a resurgence. The word/picture/art/video site is known for its loyal fan base and for posting angry posts from celebrities like Taylor Swift. It angered many users in 2018 by banning pornography and “adult” content, which make up a large part of its image- and meme-friendly online presence, and resulted in a large following. drastically reduced use.

The introduction is simple, and for those who missed the first years of social networking, the site offers a clean, classic feel.

T2 or TBD?

Gabor Cselle, a veteran of Google who worked at Twitter from 2014 to 2016, determined to create a better Twitter. Currently, he calls it T2 and says the Web domain he bought for it — t2.social — costs $7.16. T2, last name or not, is currently accepting waitlisted applications, but apparently the site is not yet live.

“I think Twitter has always had problems figuring out what to do and how to decide what to do. And that’s always on my mind,” Cselle told The Associated Press. “On Monday, I decided to go for it. I don’t see anyone else actually doing it.”

Twitter-style text and TikTok-style video are one idea. Cselle says that for this to work, the text actually has to be “enhanced” so it doesn’t get drowned out by the videos.

Cselle added: “I bet it’s easier and more effective to build a better Twitter or public advertisement now than to fix the old problems at Twitter.

Of course, Cselle wasn’t the only one taking the opportunity. For example, Project Mushroom plans a “safe place on the internet — a community-led open source home for creators seeking justice on an overheated planet,” and says they received 25,000 early signups for their unlaunched platform.

“I have a feeling that things will continue to fragment into more and more ideological grounds and some will die and then we will die,” said Jennifer Stromer-Galley, a professor at Syracuse University who did the research. see some new consolidation emerge over the next few years. social media.

NEWS SITES

One of Twitter’s most valuable features is the way it allows people to find information within seconds. Was it just an earthquake? Twitter will let you know. Or at least it did.

While there’s no perfect replacement for Twitter, it’s easier than ever to stay up to date with local, national, and international news. Apple and Google both offer news services that aggregate articles from a variety of publications (Apple offers a premium subscription that gives you access to more articles, while Google displays stories for free). fee first). There’s also Flipboard, which acts like a personalized magazine organized by your preferences.

Of course, subscribing to individual publications (or downloading a free news app like AP News by AP) is also an option.

Yes, you may have to pay for some of them and no you won’t get a blue check mark with your subscription.