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July 6, 2023

By Uwa Ede-Osifo, NBC

Spill, which launched on Apple’s App Store in mid-June, is the latest platform some have said they are turning to following Elon Musk’s continued changes to Twitter.

Spill is a new social media app attracting attention from Black users (Spill)

Forget tweeting. For some Black social media users, it’s now all about spilling.

A newer app called Spill, which has two Black founders, has become the latest platform that some people of color have flocked to following Elon Musk’s continued changes to Twitter, which he bought last year.

The social platform, created by ex-Twitter employees Alphonzo “Phonz” Terrell and DeVaris Brown, has garnered online buzz in the last week, with Black celebrities including musician Questlove and actor Keke Palmer counted among its recent members. By Monday, after Musk limited the number of tweets users can see, Spill began to climb the rankings of Apple’s App Store.

The recent boost in popularity comes amid constant discourse among Black Twitter, an informal digital enclave noted for its meme culture and political activism. Many within the community have voiced concerns about inadequate moderation of hate speech on Twitter, arguing that the app has become an increasingly “toxic” space under Musk’s leadership.

[…]

“We are here to build a place that centers Black folks, queer folks and other marginalized groups,” Terrell said in a video interview. “We’re not tolerating any hate.”

Learn more about Spill in the original article.

Some Black users have also left Twitter for Bluesky.

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