Ever since Elon Musk took over, Twitter has seen changes like never before. However, it looks like Musk’s erratic changes have negatively affected the platform, as according to a new study from Pew Research, around 60% of US users have decided to step away from Twitter over the past year.
The survey, which spanned a week in March, also revealed that Musk may not have succeeded in creating an addictive platform that compels users to engage on a daily basis. This is because, in comparison to Meta’s social apps, which boast a staggering 3.02 billion daily active users, many Twitter users are opting to avoid the app for extended periods.
“Six-in-ten Americans who have used Twitter in the past 12 months say they have taken a break from the platform for a period of several weeks or more during that span,” said Pew Research.
Demographic Patterns
Furthermore, the study highlighted demographic variations in Twitter usage patterns, indicating that women and people of color were most likely to take breaks from the platform. Among women, 69% reported breaks, while 67% of Black users did the same. In comparison, 54% of men, 60% of white users, and 54% of Hispanic users took breaks. This suggests that the platform’s relaxation of rules and Musk’s general amnesty for previously banned accounts might have disproportionately affected marginalized groups.
Twitter’s most active users might remain
While it appears that Twitter’s engagement and user numbers have started to decline, the study also suggested that Twitter’s most active users have not completely abandoned the platform, as only 25% of highly active users expressed a lack of interest in remaining on Twitter in the future.
However, it is important to note that Pew Research’s data does not definitively prove a decline in Twitter’s active user base, as there is no historical usage comparison. Additionally, with Elon stepping down and Linda Yaccarino, a former NBCU executive, being appointed as the new CEO, it remains uncertain whether she will implement new policies to regain people’s trust and encourage them to return to the platform.