Considering the platforms we use: Stop feeding the beast!
MEDIA BYTES
By Rev. Marty Levesque
OFTEN, we think of social media as a service we use. While in fact, we are the content creators that social media platforms monetize and rely upon. We share thoughts, insights, and pictures of our food and vacations and keep in touch with people nationwide.
But make no mistake, you are the product that is being monetized. The more eyeballs a platform can curate, the more advertising dollars pour in as brands seek to put their product in front of the most people.
As such, we should consider the platforms we use and whose fortunes we are contributing to. We should seriously consider whether we loan our voices as a church and disciples to each platform.
Have the platforms abandoned their DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) initiatives? Are they a place where hate speech is fostered? Do they contribute to individuals and organizations getting doxed, harassed, threatened with violence and even death threats? Has the platform led to real-world violence?
As followers of Jesus, it is up to us to embrace certain ethical standards as informed by the two greatest commandments: love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength, and love your neighbour as yourself.
No platform is perfect, but some are far worse than others. This is the case with X, formally known as Twitter. Twitter has become a cease pool of hate. But more so, it is a platform that Elon Musk uses to further the MAGA agenda. And since that agenda now includes direct threats to Canada to become the 51st state and looming tariff threats designed to destroy our economy and livelihoods, Twitter is no longer something that I or my church, All Saints Waterloo, can support. By the time you read this, both my personal account and the church’s account will be no more.
I would, therefore, encourage every church and diocese to delete their Twitter accounts and for individual disciples to also delete their accounts.
Twitter is no longer a safe space, and we should not loan our voices, and increase the fortunes of those who profit from hate. We need to stop feeding the beast.
Rev. Marty Levesque is the rector of All Saints’ in Waterloo. He served as diocesan social media officer.