LWVUS Stance on Twitter

Recent Updates

8/9/23: X Rebrand

The LWVUS communications team is closely monitoring social media trends and is aware of the X rebrand (formerly Twitter).  

The little blue bird is officially gone. On July 22, Twitter changed its name to X. As of writing this, the rebrand is just a name change, but we anticipate more changes in the coming months. 

LWVUS will continue to remain on X for the time being. If state and local Leagues choose to deprioritize the platform in their communications, we recommend that they don’t deactivate their accounts and instead focus on Meta platforms and TikTok. This will allow Leagues to safeguard their “names” and preserve old, valuable content.  

Leagues can find additional resources and best practices for social media here. We will continue to monitor X and will let Leagues know ASAP if our strategy changes.

July 2023: Threads

The LWVUS communications team is aware of the new social media platform, Threads, and is closely exploring the possibility of creating an account.   

Threads is a new text-based social platform launched by Meta that is already connected to one’s Instagram account. Within the app, you can post and reply to threads and include text, links, photos, or videos. We anticipate changes to the platform in the upcoming weeks as it is in its early stages.   

As of this writing, LWVUS is currently not on Threads but will continue to explore the possibility of joining. It is still unclear how well organizational accounts will fit in with the platform. If we determine that Threads is an ideal platform for us to join, we will let Leagues know ASAP and provide more guidance and best practices for Threads.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THREADS

4/5/23: Verification Check Marks

Starting April 1, Twitter will begin removing verification check marks for those not subscribed to the platform’s Twitter Blue service. This subscription includes a $1,000 monthly fee for organizations to keep their blue checkmark. 

With this change, the US League will not be paying the monthly subscription to keep LWVUS and VOTE411’s blue check marks. That being said, we recommend that state and local Leagues also not pay for this subscription. 

LWVUS will continue to remain on Twitter, and we recommend state and local Leagues also retain their accounts, even if you deprioritize the platform in your communications. The LWVUS Communications Team is closely monitoring the changes on Twitter and will let Leagues know ASAP if our stance on Twitter changes.

3/17/23: Two-Factor Authentication

See the specific guidance on Twitter's removal of two-factor authentication below.

Freedom of the press is both an essential right and a core pillar of American democracy. We are disturbed by the recent censorship of journalists across Twitter and will continue to monitor developments across this platform. The League sends its support to all those working to build a fair and free nation.

Overview

The LWVUS Communications Team is closely monitoring the changes on Twitter and their effects on the voting rights community. Many of these shifts are still playing out, and their impact has yet to be determined. 

As of this writing, LWVUS has determined we will remain on Twitter. That said, we are evaluating and exploring new social platforms if, in the future, we determine Twitter is no longer a viable or reliable tool for our organization. We will let Leagues know ASAP if our stance on Twitter changes.

Reasons to Remain on Twitter

We are proud to stand strong as a trustworthy, nonpartisan, pro-democracy thought leader on social media, and we recommend that Leagues continue empowering voters across Twitter. This is for a few reasons:

1. Leagues as trustworthy, nonpartisan, good info dealers are more important than ever in the current Twitter climate. It’s one of the best places we can fight election disinformation. For now, Twitter remains essential for communicating and educating folks about the League’s work to empower voters and defend democracy.
2. With the rules on verification changing so much, deactivating your Twitter account runs the risk that someone could take your handle (account name) and impersonate your League. Even if you want to go dark and not tweet for a while, it’s best not to leave your handle up for grabs.
3. It’s very hard to rebuild an audience if you ever want to re-join the platform.
4. Twitter is an invaluable tool for communicating with the press; at this time, no other media platform offers such direct connection to other publications or organizations. Most reporters remain on Twitter and use it as a tool in press outreach.

If you feel strongly, rather than deactivating your account, we recommend “going dark”: sending a tweet stating that you’re stepping away from Twitter during this time due to conflicts with the platform’s actions, and then refraining from posting. 

A Note on Digital Ads

LWVUS does not currently run paid ads on Twitter, as it has not proven to be the most effective platform to reach voters due to its political advertising policy. If Leagues are looking to advertise on social media, we recommend Leagues look to other avenues, such as Google or Meta, for ads or boosted posts. (Meta has ended their political advertising restriction period as of November 9.) Check out our guide for advertising on Meta.

Download Your Twitter Data 

With the ongoing changes to Twitter, now is a good time to take extra steps to protect your account and lock down your Twitter data. LWVUS recommends Leagues download their Twitter data to keep a backup of their account's history. Follow these easy steps to download your Twitter archive or data: 

Go to settings and support > settings and privacy > your account > download an archive your data (verify your password) > Request data 

Please note this process may take 1-3 days. You'll receive an email when your data is ready to download.

The LWVUS Communications Team will continue to watch how changes play out on Twitter and will let Leagues know ASAP if our stance on Twitter changes.  

Should you have any questions, please reach out to [email protected]. 

Removing Two-Factor Authentication

As of March 20, 2023, non-paying Twitter users can no longer use two-factor authentication to secure their accounts.

Alternative methods of keeping your account secure are available, such as using an authenticator app. Doing so is simple:

1. If you currently have two-factor authentication, Twitter will prompt you to remove it and present you with the option to switch to an authentication app.
   
   If you do not have two-factor authentication or are not prompted, look at the left-hand side of your screen and click the circle with three dots. Click "settings and support" and then "settings and privacy."  Click "security and account access" and then "security."

2. Select the option to use an "authentication app"

3. Download an authentication app to your phone, like Duo Mobile or Microsoft Authenticator

4. Scan the QR code shown on Twitter into your authentication app

5. Enter the code shown in your authentication app into the pop-up box on Twitter