How do I use Twitter productively and effectively?

Honestly, to me, social media is a pretty dangerous place. As you mentioned, it is a sensory overload, and it would just overstimulate you in unhealthy ways.

What do you use social media for? If you are using it just to connect with other people, then there may be better options. First, does your home got a phone? If not, can you afford to buy a "budget phone" (unlike a modern smartphone) which mainly supports basic functions like phone call and text message? I think it would be good if you can talk to other people via safer methods. Email is another great option, if your friends use it.

If you must use social media, I would recommend only following those you want to connect with. Don't randomly browse the posts because it is dangerous. Just mainly use the messenger to talk to other people when necessary, you won't miss out anything important by not scrolling through those stories and updates. Maybe you can also set a timer to limit your time of usage. And one last thing: In my opinion, Twitter is the most dangerous as it often contains pornographic contents, I would say Facebook / Instagram are relatively safer choices (but still not very safe of course, so proceed with care).

Hope that helps.

 

I agree. It's ok to post nudity on Twitter but other social media have rules against it. Also, it's gotten worse these last few months

I say avoid using the front page and trending section because if you look at them you're allowing the algorithm to decide what you see. Instead, decide what page you're going to use beforehand and find their page by internet search. You used to be able to opt out of the front page being controlled by the algorithm but Elon Musk took away that option. I wasn't bothered at first when he bought it but I greatly resent him for doing that and hardly ever use it nowadays. It's true to say the front page of other social media sites was controlled by the algorithm but that's what set Twitter apart from the rest.

 

I part of me feels the phrase “a productive twitter user” is a bit of an oxymoron, lol. Most people use twitter to hate others, slander, lie, post porn or psub, etc. Sometimes you get some useful information while most of the time, at least in my experience, is you don’t.

 

I joined Twitter to discuss topics that interest me and network with people with shared interests. Then I got into political stuff, partly because of some of those I was following.

Political Twitter is awful, unless you're really into politics. I'm not in Twitter for it. I want to be connected to people with similar interests, not divided by political views.

Recently I made a big cleanup, following now mostly just stuff I'm passionate about. I even unfollowed some "mutual follows" because they tweet too much about politics, etc., even if I had followed them for other reasons. Now my TL is a lot cleaner, inviting to engage discussions about shared interests instead of arguing about politics.

 

Rules to use any social network productively are very simple and works well for me:
1. you only use social networks to promote your product or yourself in order to make money.
2. you dont use social networks to consume. If you dont think you can make money eventually from social networks you dont use them.Period.

 

Starting to use social media can be overwhelming, especially if it's your first time. It's great that you want to use it in a productive way rather than just mindlessly scrolling through your feed. Here are a few tips to help you get started on Twitter:

Start by following accounts that interest you, such as news outlets, influencers, or people in your field of work or study.

Set aside a specific time each day to check your feed, and limit your time on the app to avoid getting sucked into endless scrolling.

Engage with others by commenting on their posts or retweeting them. This will help you build connections and engage in meaningful conversations.

Use hashtags to search for topics that interest you and to join in on conversations around those topics.

Consider setting goals for your use of social media, such as using it to network with professionals in your field or to stay up-to-date on industry news.

Remember to prioritize your mental health and well-being when using social media. If you find that it's negatively affecting you, take a break or limit your usage.

 

You delete it. Pretty much every social media platform is just noise and bullshit these days, overrun by ads, stupidity or vitriol. Useless unless you’re selling something.

 

Of those, I'd recommend people (and maybe organizations) in your field of study.

Personally I like to keep Twitter a place for my interests only, topics which are more or less underrepresented in mainstream media.

Influencers, if they're truly important, you'll see them in mainstream media. If not, then they're just a part of the Twitter bubble where the outside world is forgotten.

And news outlets, I don't see the need to follow them in Twitter. You'll see them everywhere even without following them. Actually I follow very much only foreign news outlets in Twitter, just to learn more about life in those countries.

 

Have you tried MySpace?

 

You created MySpace and you fap too

 

You’re thinking of Tom. I’m T o m. No worries, it happens all the time.

 

I used to have MySpace. Your secret is safe with me

 

You don't. I personally have had no trust in Twitter. Even before The Musk showed up and caused a firestorm from regency media.