Since a significant number of people recently commenting on my timeline don't seem to know how this platform works or how to find out:

A Twitter PSA Thread

1/
Twitter is a SOCIAL media platform.

SOCIAL, that means there are people here. About 192 million active daily users if you believe the company's stats.

If you create an account here, that's how many potential users you could interact with. 192 Million.

2/
Some of those 192 million are decent folks.

But many are assholes. Some are just staggeringly stupid, some are tediously pedantic, some may be dangerously insane, some are deliberately malicious, and some are creepy weirdos pretending to be cats or other household pets.

3/
So:

If you don't want those people to see what you say, DON'T POST ON THIS PLATFORM

If you don't want people to respond to your posts, DON'T POST ON THIS PLATFORM

If you want to limit responses to a select group that only you control, MAKE YOUR ACCOUNT PRIVATE

4/
If you don't want your comments retweeted, quote tweeted, subtweeted, or screen capped, DON'T POST

If you don't know what retweeting, quote tweeting, subtweeting, or screen capping is, LEARN.

5/
If you are retweeted, quote tweeted, or subtweeted, you are NOT being harassed or bullied.

These functions are literally the SOCIAL basis of this platform.

If you don't want that to happen, DON'T POST -- or make your account private.

6/
If you post on a popular timeline, then others will see your comments and some may respond. Some may disagree. You are NOT being bullied *just* because people on a social media platform responded to your PUBLIC comments.

If you don't want responses, DON'T POST

7/
If you post on a popular timeline, the owner of that timeline may respond, or quote, sub, or retweet your comment. If that person's followers see them respond, THEY may respond. You are NOT being "put on blast." This is how Twitter works.

If you don't want that, DON'T POST

8/
It's not your job to police Twitter.

It's not your job to police other users or tell them what they can and cannot say on their own timelines.

If you attempt to force your will on others and you get a hostile reaction, that's on you. YOU'RE the asshole.

9/
192 million. A lot of those people are going to say things you don't like.

Your mental health is YOUR responsibility. Don't expect others to NOT talk about things that bother you. If you're easily triggered, delete your account and go outside.

OR USE THE BLOCK BUTTON.

10/
Conversely, all of us have things that cause us pain.

If you deliberately attempt to provoke others, or dump your shit on them -- particularly when they ask you to STOP doing it -- then don't even act surprised when you meet with anger and hostility and a block.

11/
Speaking of dumping shit on others: just because an account might be popular doesn't mean it's a dumping ground for your issues. Large accounts are not your father confessor or your shrink. We're not in a relationship.

If you need attention, get a dog.

12/
It's not your job to explain what someone means to their followers. If they want your help, they'll ask. (Note: THERE'S A REASON NO ONE EVER ASKS)

It's not your job to police the comments on somebody else's timeline.

This isn't kindergarten, you're not the hall monitor.

13/
Know that you don't have to fight with every belligerent who comes along. You don't have to fight with jerks, internet toughs, trolls, bots, or anyone else. You do not. If you end up in a fight, it's because YOU chose to fight. That's on you.

So, chose not to fight.

14/
Don't start fights and then act innocent. You know what you're doing, own it.

Don't start a fight, then feign upset when people show up to fight.

Don't fight on others' timelines.

If people ask you to untag them from your fight, DO SO.

15/
If you get blocked, it doesn't mean the person who blocked you is a coward. It means they don't want to listen to your shit.

With the exception of certain political leaders, you don't have a right to anyone else's attention and no one is required to listen to you. Period.

16/
If you get blocked, you're not being diminished as a human being. You're not being oppressed.

If you get blocked and you create a sock puppet account to spy on the person who blocked you, you're a creepy stalker. Seriously, you have a problem. Get help. Yes, YOU.

17/
As the saying goes: this isn't an airport, you don't need to announce your departure. If you don't want to follow anymore, don't. Just leave.

Related: Don't beg for follows. You want people to follow you? Then say interesting things. Or post porn, that seems to work.

18/
It's your job to look for context. It's not anyone else's responsibility to feather it in for you.

If you show up late and a tweet is already deleted, you missed it. Don't pester everyone for a screencap or a summary of events. It's a tweet, you can live without knowing.

19/
Don't roll into a timeline, hit reply, and start throwing handfuls of your own shit.

If you're going to yell at people, make the target of your ire OBVIOUS. If you don't know how, LEARN.

If you throw shit randomly, don't be surprised when others respond to you in kind.

20/
Snitch tagging is a dick move.

If you don't know what that is, LEARN.

21/
There's a big damn difference between a soldier and a suicide bomber.

The same can be said of a Social Justice Warrior and those who are just here to blow up the internet. The first one might be owed some respect, the second deserves only a swift trip out the airlock.

22/
Respect other's content.

Some people don't mind if you repurpose their content, others do. How do you know? Same way as anything else, ASK. FIRST.

If a content creator says no, then it's no. They don't have to explain why.

If you don't like it, write your own content.

23/
Last: Take a break.

This place is toxic in many ways, some obvious, many not. Some of you are addicted to social media and it's damaging you. You need to unplug once in a while and go the hell outside. Remember how be real people again. Some of you have forgotten.

24/
Seriously, take a break. Unplug.

You don't owe Twitter an explanation or an apology.

You do, however, owe YOURSELF a break from the hate, the hostility, the stupidity, the astounding ignorance, the goddamn endless pedantry, all of it.

Take care of yourself FIRST.

25/25
You can follow @Stonekettle.
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