Depending on who you are (and your individual tolerance for lawlessness), Twitter might not be the best place for your mental health right now. That’s okay. It’s not 2003 and Twitter isn’t the only game in town. You’ve got options. Some of them are remarkably similar to the rough-and-tumble bird platform (some more than others), while others are just a different manner of staying in touch with different circles of acquaintance.
Mastodon
The Mastodon network is distributed, so it can’t be owned by one rich helmet. It’s like lots of little Twitters that talk to each other; onboarding is a touch bumpy (you pick a server and then find folks via #introduction, other hashtags or handle searches), but after that, you’ll find a chilled vibe and nice features like post edits. Once engrossed, try other clients such as Tusky (Android) and Metatext (iOS).
Free / Android, iOS
Twitter’s mostly a public social network, but a lot of action happens in direct messages.
If you have Twitter friends you’d like to continue chatting with, but in private, set up a WhatsApp group. Doing so is easy, and chances are everyone you know’s got an account. Just be mindful that anonymity will have to be discarded, as hiding your phone number or using multiple profiles is a hassle. Rfree / Android, iOS
Instead of words, Instagram goes big on photos and videos. Well, except in direct messages, which work as you’d expect. Otherwise, you can be jealous of folks who post photos of their glamorous lives while you’re sitting there with a tepid Pot Noodle… or you can revel in snaps and videos of all kinds of fun and exciting things. (Top tip: follow @whataboutbunny for endless canine joy.)
Free / Android, iOS
Tumblr
Surprisingly, Tumblr isn’t in a bin alongside MySpace and Friends Reunited. Despite being ancient in web terms, the network is doing well, as a kind of dissident oddball that channels the fandom, art, and chaos of ‘old internet energy’. Which means endless scrolling feeds of weird utterances, gifs, and videos.
It can be a lot of fun, although head elsewhere if you crave meaningful conversation.
Free / Android, iOS
Lots of thinky types stroked their chins and declared Twitter going kaput would be great for the world, because we’d all have more time. But the trouble is, careers have been built on that platform. LinkedIn might offer an alternative for some, given that it’s basically Twitter (or really Facebook) in a suit – and these days, posts increasingly veer towards the personal rather than PowerPoints.
Free / Android, iOS
Discord
If you always thought Twitter was aimless, Discord provides focus. It’s about joining or creating communities that
can have a natter about a game, club, or other activity. Yes, it’s chatrooms – forums mashed into chat apps with
a fork (see also Reddit). Still, if you’re happy to server-hop or be obsessed with just one, it’s ideal – and there are already millions of active users.
Free / Android, iOS
Threads
A relative newcomer on the scene (seriously, it came out last week), Threads is either the greatest thing to hit social media ever, or offering a one-button sign-up for Instagram users was a stroke of genius. Zuckerburg’s Twitter clone (literally) is basically standalone Instagram comments and, right now, nobody’s really sure what the platform’s staying power will be. Should be fun.
Free / Android, iOS