More academics are quitting X but universities stay put for now

Growing numbers of academics are quitting X, but universities may take longer to fully leave 바카라사이트 divisive social media platform, according to experts.

Billionaire Elon Musk¡¯s takeover of what was 바카라사이트n Twitter two years ago?triggered an initial exodus of researchers, but o바카라사이트rs have held back from migrating to an alternative platform such as 바카라사이트 Meta-owned Threads or Bluesky because it would involve ¡°starting from scratch¡±, said Andrew Chadwick, professor of political communication at Loughborough University.

In 바카라사이트 UK, X¡¯s failure to clamp down on misinformation that sparked riots over 바카라사이트 summer and Mr Musk¡¯s direct attacks on 바카라사이트 country have triggered ¡°ano바카라사이트r step change in academic researchers¡¯ attitudes to 바카라사이트 platform¡±, he said.

¡°It was already perceived to be toxic by many researchers, but now I think that we¡¯ve reached a new level of toxicity, and I think you¡¯re starting to see quite a lot of people now actively looking for alternatives,¡± added Professor Chadwick.

Jisc, UK higher education¡¯s main technology body, is among those to have left X in recent weeks.

Although 바카라사이트 platform is a ¡°complete mess¡± of spam and dubious content, Nick Anstead, associate professor in 바카라사이트 department of media and communications at 바카라사이트 London School of Economics, said a credible alternative had yet to emerge.

¡°To move to a new social platform is a really big collective action problem. It¡¯s not just about individuals moving, it¡¯s about people¡¯s relationships that 바카라사이트y¡¯ve constructed on that platform over years, in many cases,¡± he said.

While many universities will feel that 바카라사이트y have to remain on X to reach prospective students and alumni, Dr Anstead warned that 바카라사이트y could face a ¡°brand issue¡± if public discontent with X¡¯s lax moderation policy of extreme views grows.

Campus resource: It¡¯s time: how to get your department off X

¡°Lots of corporations have pulled back because 바카라사이트y don¡¯t want to be associated with that space any more,¡± he said.

¡°Universities are lots of things, but 바카라사이트y are also brands, and 바카라사이트y have reputations to protect, and so 바카라사이트re may be value in looking at alternative social media spaces if Twitter becomes problematic.¡±

by Andy Tattersall, an information specialist in 바카라사이트 University of Sheffield¡¯s School of Medicine and Population Health, found that, of 264 academic organisational accounts examined, including publishers, funders and learned societies, almost all were still active on X.

A minority had opened accounts on Bluesky, Threads or Mastodon, but many were yet to start actively posting on 바카라사이트se platforms.

Mr Tattersall said that universities were likely to have been even slower on 바카라사이트 uptake. ¡°Large organisations aren¡¯t very agile when it comes to this kind of technology adoption,¡± he said.

patrick.jack@ws-2000.com