Opinion: Black Twitter shaped the platform, but its future lies elsewhere

Twitter offices - Following Elon Musk's controversial Twitter takeover, Dr keisha bruce (UCL Institute of Advanced Studies) examines in The Conversation the impact of Black Twitter on internet culture and its ability to create and redefine itself in the digital age. From cartoon memes to cancel culture, hashtag activism and "new" languages, it's undeniable that Black Twitter has shaped much of today's internet culture. "Black Twitter" describes a digital gathering of culturally connected Black people who use Twitter to discuss matters related to Black communities. These cultural conversations and inside jokes have resulted in new trends, digital behaviour and changes in the platform's digital tools. Elon Musk's controversial ownership has led some to wonder - what happens to Black Twitter now, and where will it go? These questions mourn the loss of a digital culture that has defined the platform over the past decade, but they also perpetuate the idea that the Black Twitter community is a singular entity, incapable of the kind of shapeshifting and remixing that has been central to its existence. Though some of Black Twitter's practices are often misunderstood to have originated on the social media platform, they are not new. They have histories in Black creative, linguistic, and technological cultures.