Theater publication Poster said it will stop posting content to Twitter after the platform “significantly expanded its tolerance for hate, negativity and misinformation.”
This is one of the first publishing brands to make concrete plans to exit the platform after the social media company was bought by Elon Musk. During Musk’s short reign to date, Twitter launched and then suspended a program that allowed users to pay for a verification check, rather than being vetted by the company. This led users with verified ticks to first name themselves as brands or celebrities and caused more confusion and misinformation on the platform.
Many individual users and celebrities have also vowed to leave the platform, and advertisers have objected, as Musk continues his promise to center Twitter around free speech. As part of his acquisition, Musk also cut the company’s workforce by 50 percent and resigned several prominent executives. according to the media reports.
Founded in 1884 and put online in 1995, Playbill has been verified on Twitter and has just under 500,000 followers.
“We, as a family-owned company, have always strived to be a constant source of support for the entire theater community, engaging fans and spotlighting the incredible professionals who work tirelessly to make the lights of Broadway shine bright in our country. . Our core values have always been about community, kindness, collaboration, inclusion and truth,” said Philip S. Birsh, Playbill Chairman and CEO, and Chief Operating Officer Alex Birsh.
“In recent weeks, Twitter, Inc. greatly expanded his tolerance for hate, negativity and misinformation. As a respected news outlet for the Broadway community, we believe we can no longer continue to operate a platform where the lines between real news and insidious rhetoric have been blurred beyond recognition.”
The publication said it would no longer be active on Twitter as of Friday. Playbill will continue to post on its website, which it says has nearly two million unique users per month, as well as Instagram, Facebook and TikTok, all “subject to continued review”.
