Around 50% of individuals who regularly engaged in discussions about climate and environmental issues on Twitter left the platform following its acquisition by Elon Musk and subsequent reduction in content moderation, according to recent analysis conducted by researchers. The study revealed that Twitter, now renamed "X," had previously been a significant platform for environmental dialogue, and this decline has raised concerns. Researchers termed this exodus of environmental users from Twitter as an "existential threat" to a crucial channel for educating people interested in climate action.
Musk, an advocate of "free speech absolutism," made substantial cuts to Twitter's content moderation team after his takeover of the platform was completed in October 2022. There have been reports of increased climate misinformation and hate speech on Twitter since the takeover, including the spread of debunked climate change denialist narratives. The research analyzed data from 380,000 users who were actively tweeting about global heating and biodiversity. Out of this group, almost 50% became inactive within six months of the takeover. In contrast, only 21% of a control group of 458,000 users tweeting about US politics became inactive during the same period. Professor Charlotte Chang of Pomona College, who led the research, noted the decline of environmental discourse on Twitter as a setback for addressing biodiversity loss and catastrophic climate change. The study, titled "Environmental users abandoned Twitter after Musk takeover," was published in the journal Trends in Ecology & Evolution.
Chang expressed uncertainty about where these conversations are now migrating to, with alternative platforms like Mastodon, Threads, and Instagram yet to replicate the success of Twitter in this context. There is concern that this decline could be self-perpetuating, as user departures may encourage others to follow suit. The researchers suggested initiatives like the Coalition for Independent Technology Research as a way to voice coordinated concerns to Twitter and policymakers. However, they also highlighted the potential harm posed by Twitter's plans to charge significant amounts for accessing a large number of tweets through its API, as it could impede research and documentation of both positive contributions and negative impacts of the platform.
Leo Hickman, editor of Carbon Brief, emphasized the shift in the climate conversation on Twitter, from informative and nuanced discussions to a more toxic and divisive environment. Climate scientists, in particular, have reported increased levels of abuse and negative comments on the platform since the takeover.
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