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PSA: I'm Off Twitter

PSA: I'm Off Twitter

Part of a series on Twitter / X. [View Related Entries]

Updated Sep 10, 2018 at 04:03PM EDT by Adam.

Added Sep 10, 2018 at 02:46PM EDT by Adam.

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About

PSA: I'm Off Twitter refers to parodies of a tweet by Benjamin Wittes, editor of Lawfare Blog after communication between he and Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh came to light. However, Wittes' announcement that he was leaving Twitter also included many reasons why he would continue to use Twitter. The tweet was mocked and parodied on Twitter after it was posted.

Origin

During the Kavanaugh hearings in the United States Senate, Senator Cory Booker released several documents related to Kavanaugh that were meant to be confidential.[1] Journalist and editor Benjamin Wittes had defended Kavanaugh’s claim during the proceedings that he wasn’t involved in vetting Bill Pryor, a nominee for a judicial appointment in the 11th Circuit, at the Senate hearings on Kavanaugh. However communications between Wittes and Kavanaugh released by Booker contradict that claim (shown below).


southpaw @nycsouthpaw Follow From: Ben Wittes lo: Brett Kavanaugh Sent: 4/9/2003 Subject: : Pryor To: Sent: Subject: DEiI Vvilles Brett M. Kavanaugh/WHO/EOP@EOP [WHO] <Brett M. Kavanaugh> 4/9/2003 1:28:08 PM : Pryor ###### Begin Original ARMS Header ###### RECORD TYPE: PRESIDENTIAL (NOTES MAIL) CREATOR: Ben Wittes CREATION DATE/TIME: 9-APR-2003 17:28:08.00 SUBJECT Pryor To : Brett M. Kavanaugh ( CN-Brett M. Kavanaugh/OU=WHO/O=EOP@EOP [ WHO READ: UNKNOWN ###### End Original ARMS Header ###### Ben Wittes [ UNKNOWN) I take it back. I will write something about the decision to nominate Pryor promptly--having now read the amazing collection of speeches on his web site. You should send over any exculpatory information you might have quickly /b 8:28 PM - 8 Sep 2018

Facing backlash, Wittes tweeted that he would be "off Twitter" except for "booms and for things I want to say." He also said, "I’ll use it as a news source. I’m not going to read any mentions. I’m not going to respond to anyone."


Benjamin Wittes @benjaminwittes Follow PSA: I'm off Twitter until further notice. 1,11 use it only for booms and for things I want to say. l'Il use it as a news source. l'm not going to read any mentions. l'm not going to respond to anyone. 6:09 PM 9 Sep 2018

Spread

After the tweet was posted, user Glenn Greenwald sarcastically was thankful Wittes would continue to use "booms," writing that "booms" are GIFs of cannons. The Daily Dot[2] clarified Wittes uses "booms" whenever news related to Russiagate drops.


Glenn Greenwald Follow @ggreenwald Thankfully, he confirmed he will continue to use Twitter for his "booms." Those .gif cannons have been such an elevating, profund and illuminating contribution to the discourse - of the kind only DC think tank "scholars" are capable - that it would be unbearable to lose those Benjamin Wittes@benjaminwittes PSA: I'm off Twitter until further notice. l'll use it only for booms and for things I want to say. l'll use it as a news source. l'm not going to read any mentions. I'm not going to respond to anyone. 6:31 PM - 9 Sep 2018

Other users mocked Wittes' "PSA" as he would essentially still be using all the functions of Twitter. Multiple parodies of the tweet grew popular over the course of the following day. For example, a tweet by comedian Paul F. Tompkins gained over 300 retweets and 8,800 likes (shown below, left). Another parody by user Simon Maloy gained over 230 retweets and 2,700 likes (shown below, right).


Paul F Tompkins @PFTompkins Following PSA: I am essentially deactivating my twitter account. From now on if I post it will ONLY be promotional stuff or jokes and other thoughts & also RTs sometimes. I will not be reading mentions UNLESS people use my handle in a tweet. I will also post LIMITED booms 1:41 AM -10 Sep 2018 Simon Maloy @SimonMaloy Follow PSA: l'm relentlessly on Twitter until further notice l'll use it for only for self-owns and for things I want to say with literally zero forethought. l'll use it as my only source for information I'm going to read the f--- out of my mentions. I'm going to waste my life here 12:22 PM - 10 Sep 2018

Various Examples


jon rosenber @jonrosenberg Follow PSA: I'm off Twitter until further notice l'll use it only for tweeting things I want to say and responding to people and retweets and likes and reading things and looking at art and getting mad at nazis and shitposting and getting yelled at for inappropriate humor 11:59 PM- 9 Sep 2018 Sulome Anderson Follow @SulomeAnderson PSA: I'm on Twitter until further notice. l'lI use it for connecting with sources and colleagues, sharing stories people should know about and updates from the ground. I'I also use it for the memes. I will be reading my mentions. I might tell you to f--- off if you're awful 3:38 PM - 10 Sep 2018 a . Harry Cheadle Follow @HCheadle PSA: I'm off Twitter until further notice. l'll only use Twitter to make opaque jokes that only a fraction of my followers will get 12:33 PM-10 Sep 2018 Ghoul @GhoulOfficial Follow PSA: We're off Twitter until further notice. We'll use it only for booms and for things we want to say, as well as RIs, mentions, hot takes, memes, news, trolling, likes, reviews, jokes, art, comics, upcoming shows, DMs, replies, kaomojis, & cute animal videoS. BUT THAT'S IT. 1:51 PM - 10 Sep 2018 from Oakland, CA NR @nraymz Follow PSA: I'm off Twitter until further notice. l'll use it only for jokes and RTs of jokes and quote tweeting stupid people and publishing my every stupid thought, such as what the f--- are "booms" 3:31 PM - 10 Sep 2018 Red Durkin @RedlsDead Follow PSA: "I'l use it only for booms and for things I want to say. I'll use it as a news source," is called being on Twitter. Benjamin Wittes Ф @benjam.nwittes PSA: I'm off Twitter until further notice. I'll use it only for booms and for things I want to say. I'll use it as a news source. I'm not going to read any mentions. I'm not going to respond to... 2:07 PM -10 Sep 2018

Search Interest

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External References

[1] CNBC – Cory Booker's 'I am Spartacus' document release during the Kavanaugh hearing wasn't as defiant as it seemed

[2] Daily Dot – Journalist’s puzzling ‘only for booms’ farewell to Twitter gets mocked

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Raul Satisacro
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Raul Satisacro

PSA: I’m off KYM until further notice.

I’ll use it only for meme browsing and downvoting Bill-Stan and responding to people and to post best girl pics for likes and reading things and looking at art and getting mad at nazis and shitposting and getting yelled at for inappropriate humor and forcing the mods to bring back Hentai Quotes because we are all perverts who laugh at porn comics.

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