This post was significantly updated in June 2025 to reflect new information. An archived version from 2008 is available for reference here.
Way back in 2008, we published a short but prescient post titled “Is Twitter Changing Your News Habits?”. It was a time when social media’s influence on journalism was still forming, and Twitter was beginning to show its potential as a real-time news source.
The question was ahead of its time. Looking back now, it reads like a spark that foreshadowed the firestorm of transformation we’ve since seen.
When Twitter first launched in 2006, it was a curiosity: a place to post status updates in 140 characters or less. Fast forward to 2010, and Twitter had become something else entirely—a real-time newswire, cultural mood ring, and global town square rolled into one.
More than a decade ago, the original Blog Herald piece asked an insightful question: Is Twitter changing the way we consume news? At the time, the answer leaned toward yes—but we were only beginning to understand just how deeply.
Today, in the shadow of Elon Musk’s acquisition, a rebrand to “X,” and the exodus of many journalists and media watchdogs, that question demands a fresh look. Twitter isn’t just one of many platforms for news—for some, it is the news. But what does that mean for our perception of truth, authority, and attention?
Let’s take stock of what’s changed, what hasn’t, and what creators and digital publishers need to understand now. Because whether you loved or hated the changes, there’s no denying it: Twitter didn’t just influence how we read the news—it rewired the system.
A quick rewind: When Twitter became a news engine
Twitter’s role in modern journalism took off during high-impact global events. Think back to the Arab Spring in 2011, where Twitter helped protesters coordinate and broadcast real-time updates. Or Ferguson in 2014, when Twitter gave rise to citizen journalism that challenged mainstream narratives.
These moments cemented Twitter as a tool for witnessing, not just reporting. It gave the public a sense of access and immediacy that legacy media couldn’t match. And in doing so, it reshaped our expectations of what news should look and feel like.
That same sense of rawness and speed made Twitter indispensable to journalists, who began using it not only to promote stories but to break them. Editors looked to Twitter for public sentiment. News cycles began forming around tweets.
But that golden age of Twitter-for-news has dulled.
Twitter: From newsroom disruptor to narrative engine
Twitter’s role as a news disruptor was once celebrated. Pew Research found as early as 2015 that nearly two-thirds of U.S. adults got news via social media—and Twitter ranked among the most influential, especially for breaking news and live events.
But in recent years, Twitter has shifted from a discovery tool to something far more complicated: a place where opinion, commentary, misinformation, and ideology bleed into every headline.
According to the 2023 Reuters Institute Digital News Report, Twitter (now X) remains a major destination for news and political discussion despite ongoing platform changes and shifts in its relationship with news organizations.
While some trust issues have been raised in public discourse, the study notes that many users still rely on the platform for breaking stories, commentary, and updates on live events. Verified accounts no longer guarantee credibility; instead, a paid checkmark often confers status without accountability.
This underscores how Twitter continues to shape not just what stories we see, but how we interpret them.
Rather than becoming obsolete, Twitter has evolved into a hybrid platform where news delivery, public sentiment, and commentary converge in real time.—reflecting what people say about the news, not necessarily the news itself. And that shift matters.
What this means for creators and digital publishers
For content creators, Twitter (X) remains a key platform—not just for distribution, but for influence shaping. It’s where narratives are stress-tested, polarized, remixed. A single tweet can ignite a backlash or build momentum.
But if Twitter is less reliable as a source of news, what does that mean for those who use it to build authority?
Two implications stand out:
- The collapse of the shared timeline
What once felt like a collective feed of global updates now feels fractured and algorithmically filtered. Musk’s changes to the platform’s ranking system—favoring paid verification, engagement bait, and select influencers—have made the “news” feel more like opinion theater. - The rise of narrative power over factual depth
Twitter’s mechanics reward speed, virality, and punchy takes—not thoughtful reporting. For creators, this means that building trust takes more than “being first” or “being loud.” It takes being clear, credible, and consistent across platforms.
This is the new strategic lens creators must adopt: use Twitter as a mirror, not a compass.
The journalist exodus and the creator pivot
In the past, many journalists used Twitter as a living notebook—posting updates, interacting with readers, and challenging public figures. But since the platform’s changes under Musk, a noticeable exodus has taken place.
Prominent reporters have shut down their accounts or shifted focus to platforms with more editorial control, like Substack. Others have migrated to Mastodon or Threads, experimenting with new models for community and content.
Creators are also adapting. Some who once relied on Twitter to drive newsletter subscriptions or video views are rethinking their traffic funnels. Many are investing in SEO, podcasting, or direct-to-email relationships to avoid the volatility of a single platform.
One notable case: technology writer Casey Newton, who built a significant following on Twitter, now focuses on his Substack publication, Platformer, where engagement is deeper and less performative.
The trend is clear: creators are moving toward platforms that reward context, not just virality.
Pitfalls to watch for: Misinformation, echo chambers, and performance signaling
Let’s be clear: Twitter is no longer a place where truth emerges organically. It is a game of performance. The fastest, funniest, or most outrageous often wins.
But that comes at a cost.
Misinformation spreads faster than facts. MIT research found false news spreads six times faster on Twitter than true stories. That study was from 2018. Today, the signal-to-noise ratio is arguably worse, especially with changes to moderation.
Echo chambers are easier to fall into. Algorithmic curation favors confirmation bias. If you’re a creator only seeing takes from those who agree with you, you’re likely not seeing the full story—or your audience’s diversity of thought.
The pressure to perform warps your message. Are you posting because you have something valuable to say, or because you’re afraid to be left out of the discourse cycle?
For thoughtful creators, these are not rhetorical questions. They’re strategic ones.
What we can learn: Embrace intentionality over immediacy
Twitter still matters. It’s still a cultural force, a place where news breaks and narratives form. But its transformation reminds us of something vital: no platform is neutral.
As creators, we need to:
- Diversify how we consume news. Follow credible newsletters, longform journalism, and media watchdogs. Don’t rely on a single app for the full story.
- Audit what we amplify. Before retweeting or reacting, ask: Is this true? Is it necessary? Is it useful to my audience?
- Think in systems, not soundbites. Twitter thrives on punchlines. But real influence comes from ideas that endure, not just trend.
- Promote media literacy. Talk about how you verify information. Encourage your followers to question sources. Model thoughtful consumption.
As digital publishers, we can also use these shifts as a moment of reckoning. Are we helping readers make sense of the chaos? Or are we amplifying it just to keep up?
Final thought: You are your editorial line
Twitter may shape headlines, but you shape what they mean to your audience. Whether you’re a blogger, content strategist, or digital publisher, your job isn’t just to ride the wave—it’s to make sense of it.
Be selective. Be steady. Be intentional. In an attention economy fueled by speed, clarity is your most underrated asset.
