Recently I had a conversation with a friend who I deeply respect about the decline of a particular social media platform. Our experiences couldn’t have been more different: my friend encounters nothing but controversial, sometimes offensive content, while I generally see helpful resources shared by people I follow. This stark contrast led me to reflect on why our experiences diverged so dramatically.

Over the years of participating in educational communities across Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook groups, and newer platforms like Threads and Bluesky, I’ve come to an opinion: the power to create meaningful online spaces has always rested with us – the users – rather than the platforms themselves.

While algorithms certainly influence our social media experiences, they learn from our behavior. Every time we pause on a post, every interaction we make – these actions train the platform to show us more similar content. But more importantly, what we see is fundamentally shaped by the people we choose to follow, engage with, and learn from.

This is a pattern.

Each time a platform faces criticism or controversy, we witness a familiar exodus: users abandoning one digital space for another, hoping to find a less toxic environment. Like many of you, I’ve experienced this cycle through my journey across various platforms.

New platforms, same problems.

My experience on Twitter has consistently been positive, largely because I’ve consciously curated my feed. I follow people who share helpful resources, challenge my thinking, and bring diverse perspectives to discussions. This same intentional approach has served me well on LinkedIn and in various Slack and Discord communities.

When I joined Bluesky in June 2023, I faced the challenge of starting fresh with zero connections. The early days were promising – positive energy, inclusive discussions, and a clean feed thanks to the default “Following” tab.

My experience with Threads in July 2023 was very different. The initial setup was exceptionally easy thanks to Instagram integration, and the interface was clean and beautiful. But within days, I noticed my feed had become overwhelmingly negative. The content was markedly different from my usual professional network – more divisive, more confrontational. While Threads now offers hashtags, its design still works against user curation: the “Following” tab is buried two taps away under the Threads logo, making it harder to focus on chosen connections rather than algorithm-selected content.

I recently decided to re-engage with Bluesky. The platform’s Starter Packs seemed like an efficient way to rebuild my network. Instead, they demonstrated how quickly a carefully curated space can transform. Overnight, my feed filled with the same type of toxic content I’d fled from on Threads – including posts promoting harassment and harm toward specific groups. I spent the next 24 hours methodically unfollowing accounts, reconstructing the positive space I’d originally found there.

Create spaces worth joining.

Here are a few questions I’ve been pondering:

• Why does one Facebook group flourish as a supportive professional learning community while another devolves into conflict?
• Why can an informational post on LinkedIn generate thoughtful discussion while the same content elsewhere attracts toxic replies?
• How can these platforms simultaneously foster global educational collaboration and fuel divisive discourse?

The answer consistently comes back to user choice and responsibility. In every digital space where I find value, people have chosen to be present, stay focused on purpose, and engage in respectful dialogue. Disagreement exists, but it serves learning and growth rather than division.

Take control of your feed.

Ultimately, we each control what we see and how we interact online. Rather than abandoning platforms when they become challenging, we can actively shape our digital environments through conscious choices about whom we follow, how we engage, and what content we amplify.

For educators worldwide, the key isn’t finding the perfect platform – it’s creating valuable spaces for connection, learning, and support wherever we choose to engage.