The new CNN series titled “Twitter: Breaking the Bird” takes viewers on a compelling journey through the history of Twitter—an application that redefined social media and significantly impacted communication in the 21st century. A four-part documentary airing Sundays at 10 PM ET/PT, from March 9th to March 30th, the series features interviews with Twitter’s founders and early employees, providing a unique insider perspective on the platform’s evolution from its inception to its current status as a controversial social media giant.
The series reveals that tech entrepreneurs often struggle to predict how their innovations will be utilized by the public. This reality is encapsulated in the experiences shared by early Twitter employees, illustrating an aspect that many tech founders may overlook: the long-term ramifications of their inventions. As discussed in the series, the original Twitter app exemplified the early internet landscape characterized by optimism, enabling users to share their thoughts with unmatched immediacy. However, the app’s founders soon faced unforeseen challenges, notably the darker implications of providing an open forum for conversation—a platform that engaged not only voices advocating for change but also those disseminating hate and misinformation.
Reflecting on Twitter’s early days, Evan Williams, a co-founder, noted the bustling environment where time was scant to consider the broader consequences of their creation. He stated, “There was a lot going on. There’s not really time in the day to contemplate the much larger implications of what we’re building.” In many ways, this mindset encapsulated the attitude of a nascent tech industry that prioritized rapid development over deep contemplation—a congenial, yet somewhat naive approach to innovation.
Fast forward to today, the platform known now as “X,” having undergone significant transformations since its acquisition by Elon Musk, presents a complicated picture. Musk, already a polarizing figure as one of the world’s wealthiest individuals, has utilized the platform not only to support political figures such as former President Donald Trump but also to promote his personal agenda. This shift has led to the controversial reinstatement of certain users, including white supremacists, who were previously banned for violating terms of service. The platform’s purpose appears muddled; while many seek to utilize its capacity for real-time news, advertisers have fled due to Musk’s contentious strategies, further complicating the platform’s financial viability.
The “Breaking the Bird” series thus serves as a critical examination of Twitter’s tumultuous lifespan—from its idealistic beginnings founded by a group of counter-culture advocates to navigating complex political landscapes, culminating in Musk’s drastic takeover valued at $44 billion. Williams reflected on the creators’ struggle to maintain a balance between the positive and negative elements that emerged over time, stating, “We built this thing that took on a life of its own that has these bad elements and these good elements, and the battle is trying to have the good outweigh the bad.”
As the series unfolds, it reveals a timeline that highlights the rapid evolution of social media platforms—an era marked by the launch of Facebook and the absence of mobile applications, a context that further elucidates the revolutionary nature of Twitter. Initially, the content shared by users was often trivial, with co-founders like Jack Dorsey and Biz Stone sharing mundane updates about their daily lives, exemplified by tweets about walking home or what they were eating.
Jason Goldman, Twitter’s first head of product, provided insight into the initial uncertainty that accompanied the platform’s launch. He opined that an innate “bias towards action” fueled innovation in the tech industry, where the goal was to experiment and subsequently observe user interaction. However, as the platform grew, it ironically became an essential tool used for social movements such as the Arab Spring and Black Lives Matter, showcasing its dual nature.
Central to the narrative is Jack Dorsey, often perceived as the father of the platform. His tenure as CEO, during which he governed for eight years in two separate periods, left an indelible mark on Twitter’s culture. Dorsey championed free expression, asserting that the platform should amplify all voices, a philosophy he articulated at various tech conferences. Yet, this dogma of allowing every opinion often translated into hesitancy to address the rising concerns regarding hate speech and misinformation.
As the world grapples with the consequences of social media’s influence in political spheres and societal discourse, the need for accountability becomes stark. This point was echoed by Del Harvey, Twitter’s former head of trust and safety, who acknowledged that in the early years, the platform had not invested adequately in combating spreading hate. Reflecting on his time at Twitter, both Dorsey and his team recognized that more could have been done to align the platform’s trajectory with its founding ideals.
Ultimately, the documentary illustrates a stunning realization that the platform’s issues were not simply bugs in the system; they had become features that defined a new era of communication, a complex balancing act unveiling the intricate dynamics of a platform once envisioned as a beacon of communication and now struggling with
