On the last Friday of August (30), Alexandre de Moraes, minister of the Federal Supreme Court (STF) established the suspension of the operation of the old Twitter, the X, in all Brazilian territory. The decision came after a request submitted by Moraes, which set a deadline of 24 hours for the social network’s owner, Elon Musk, to appoint a legal representative for the network in Brazil. Musk, however, failed to meet the deadline offered, causing the platform to be deactivated ever since.
It is well known that X has always been a space with a high concentration of young people, more specifically Gen Z. According to a survey carried out by Twitter´s Brazilian research team in September 2022, 51% of the tweets made in the country during the first half of the year were made by Generation Z. The survey also reported that young people aged between 15 and 24 make up almost 40% of the platform’s users and, of these, 67% use the network quite frequently. And it is believed that these numbers are increasing.
For many teenagers and young adults, X was titled like a diary. The mechanism offered for quick and practical tweets allowed young people to express their feelings and emotions immediately. Letting off steam helps relieve stress and anxiety, providing a space to vent worries and frustrations.
One of the benefits of the platform is that it allows people to vent more freely, without fear of judgment from people they know in real life – since Twitter friends are not always the same as those cultivated on other social media, such as Instagram, TikTok or Facebook. This makes users of the platform feel lighter and relieved to have a place that brings them at least a small moment of pleasure.
Spaces like this allow people, especially young ones, to express their unique experiences and connect with others who share their perspectives. The exchange of experiences provides a form of connection, emotional support and self-identification. Sharing experiences and getting feedback from other users can be extremely beneficial for mental health.
Expressing your feelings through words on the internet can also draw attention to important social issues. Topics and discussions can make others aware of problems such as mental health, discrimination, injustice and other relevant issues.
Many users, orphans of tweets, began to wonder what the repercussions of the latest events would be on the platform. What would people be saying about the municipal elections, the Rock in Rio festival concerts, the fires in Brazil and even the arrest of Deolane – a famous lawyer in the country who was arrested on charges of involvement in a money laundering scheme and illegal gambling.
On the 18th of September, Musk circumvented the blockade of the platform, resulting in the network working on national territory. Young people went wild and, full of joy and hope, started using the network again during this time.
During this period we realized how dependent we are on social media and that, even with their problems, they can also provide significant benefits for users’ mental health and well-being.
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The article above was edited by Ana Beatriz Aith.
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