Gabby Thomas is as intelligent as it is fast, an Olympic triple sprinter sprinter who graduated from Harvard, then continued to obtain a master’s degree in epidemiology. Yet during the weekend, Racist trolls have flooded its page X With unpleasant comments depreciating his intelligence and achievements.
This is what X has become: a toxic sump whose owner kisses, encourages and amplifies the worst of humanity.
And it should be a screaming warning to the NFL, the NBA, university athletics and all other people in the world of sport that ignore it.
Usually, hyper sensitive to their images and petrified with everything that could threaten them, most teams, leagues and athletes continue to use it with public relations nightmare. They do not seem to realize that, as Elon Musk is doing more and more horrible things, and that X deteriorates more and more, it is their counting and reputations of follow -up that will take up.
I doubt that the NBA wants porn advertisements adjacent to its account. Or members of proud boys who love his highlighting videos. I can only imagine that the stomach burns commissioner in the NFL Roger Goodell felt when he saw Musk make Nazi jokes On the same platform where the League has its greatest presence on social networks, then, two days before the day of the Holocaust memory, suggests that the German people should simply “Go beyond” their “past guilt” On the atrocities of the Second World War.
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But that’s what they choose. And given the A number mounted in people who opt for BlueskyIt is most certainly a choice.
Bluesky is an outgrowth of a research initiative in what was then twitter. But while algorithms lead to what you see on X, and Musk can take it in any way that it likes to promote bad things, Bluesky works according to the user. You choose what you want to see and want to follow. If a troll harasses you, you can block their messages so that no one sees them. You can also detach comments, eliminate their scope.
Bluesky Defangs Trolls. Musk nourishes, waters and walks them twice a day.
“The value of the bluesky for athletes is that, because it is moderate, the players can get involved and speak to their fans, without being overwhelmed by the idiots,” said Mark Cuban, the former owner of the Dallas Mavericks Who has become a passionate about Bluesky, in an email.
“Bluesky in moderation allows leagues, brands, players, celebrities to engage with fans,” wrote Cuban. “I see it every day. The quality ratio is around 90 pct on Bluesky vs around 50 pct or less on X. ”
However, NWSL is the only one of the main professional sports leagues to actively use Bluesky. According to SportoThe NFL and the NBA only work on platforms where they have agreements, which often include financial incentives, and they don’t have Bluesky. The WNBA and the NBA allow their teams at least to have Bluesky accounts; The NFL does not do it.
It is difficult to abandon the social media sites where you have built important suites, because the leagues, their broadcasters and many athletes on X. The NBA has nearly 48 million followers on X; The NFL has 37 million. LeBron James has nearly 53 million followers on X; Patrick Mahomes has 2.6 million.
It is also difficult to abandon it when X continues to be where people do news. (Complete disclosure: I always have an X account only for this reason, using the alert function so that I can see what I cover people.)
But while more and more people move to Bluesky, including sporting influencers like Pat McAfee, Mina Kimes, Ian Rapoport and Monica McNutt, there is an opening for leagues to reproduce this base of fans.
Bluesky reached 20 million users in mid-November, tripling its user base in just three months. He approached 30 million by Monday afternoon.
“I think that the only missing parts for Bluesky are news and scores in real time, which is quickly added, and some verticals,” said Cuban. “I think it changes over time.”
The beauty of Twitter was as a community of the second screen, allowing fans to interact, to obtain additional information and, in the long term, to obtain reruns. It was like watching the match from a broadcast control room with all your closest friends. It was missing from Bluesky, but he wins steam.
When The referees stole the Buffalo Bills with a first descent on the QB of Josh Allen At the start of the fourth quarter, the Bluesky reaction recalled Twitter in the past.
“As it grows, it will not be more and more precious,” said Cuban. “Social media space has branched out in moderate vs vs. It seems that most people prefer moderation and a less hateful site. »»
And as Musk and X are looking more and more in their worst trends, it will only take a rhythm.
The guardian And The worldFrance’s Paper of Record, has already ceased to publish on X. After the gesture of the hand of Musk which looked like a Nazi salute at the inauguration of last week, the moderators of the NFL, the NBA, the Formula 1 and football communities on Reddit Bonds prohibited to x.
“We made this decision after taking into account recent events and the strong feeling of our community”, ” The moderators / R / NBA said in a post. “Although we do our best to stay neutral and apolitical, we do not think that taking a position against Nazi symbolism is or should be a political problem. Haine speech and the promotion of it have never been tolerated in our community. “
Social media is supposed to be fun and informative, a way to reach people you wouldn’t otherwise. When it becomes a paradise for white supremacists, neonazis and others who do not appreciate democracy or diversity, it is time to leave.
Follow the USA TODAY NANCY ARMOR sports columnist on @nrarmour social networks.