Frustrated does not begin to describe my current state. For two years I poured hundreds of hours into researching, analyzing and piecing together the people and networks responsible for democracy’s destruction. I began simply looking into my current Congressional Representative, Matt Gaetz because of the way the area reacted and neglected the COVID-19 pandemic. From there, I followed closely the Joel Greenberg story and connected many dots that will likely lead to more indictments and superseding indictments in the near future. Then, January 6th happened, and I had this strange ability to find things & an instinct for putting them together that I never knew I had that I put to the test investigating the violent insurrection at the US Capitol.
Now, I’m left with this feeling of panic to somehow preserve the work I’ve done. I suppose it’s on me that I didn’t pre-write any threads into a google document or save it somewhere, but instead worked directly on Twitter. I’ve downloaded the archive, which I honestly don’t even know how it’s useful to me. I have many threads that were stored through a Thread Reader App, so I guess that’s something.
To recreate what I was able to do over two years is just more work than I can even quantify. I wish there was an easier way, or at least I wish I was more technologically skilled to figure out how to scrape my account or do anything at all other than go one by one and try and save what I can.
Twitter has turned into a wasteland of misfits and broken things, where INCEL is the culture, bullying and misogyny is the game. I can’t watch the platform I learned so much from and met some of the greatest people I’ll ever know just vanish into the hellscape of uselessness it is quickly becoming.
Mastadon… oh, Mastadon. First, I really hate the name. Second, I don’t get it. Maybe it’s a lack of desire to try and figure it out. It’s just not a platform for OSINT research, at least not in the way I became accustomed to. It feels disjointed and mashed up. Sure, you can reply to yourself and create a sort of “thread”, but it doesn’t read the same and it doesn’t have the right impactful display that is needed when you’re trying to show a network of corruption.
Substack… well, I’m here on Substack writing this now, but long-form articles will be a long-term process for me to learn. I’m a bit of a perfectionist, so one article takes me at least an entire day. Then, there’s this urge for me to input everything I find, all sources, all images, everything. I approach the presentation of my OSINT findings as if I were writing a research paper, including any and all sources to show my work. Substack isn’t quite where that is most effective either. Not to mention, the interaction from it doesn’t provide for the team effort for which I believe is necessary to tackling some of these complex topics.
Defeated. That’s where I’m at.
Until I can figure out how to move forward, or if continuing on is even the answer at this point, I’ll put some links below of items I can find that are preserved outside of Twitter directly.
This link seems to have many of the threads I’ve put together over time on Twitter. I’ll continue to roll through them and add them here as I go.
Thread Reader App | https://threadreaderapp.com/user/gal_suburban
Moonies Cult | World Peace Federation Rally of Hope
Thread: https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1468288036568014856.html
Velma Ann Ruth | Patriot Caucus
Thread: https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1574437503402217472.html
Michelle Bachmann | The Insurrection Files
Thread: https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1569057699421200386.html
Joe Lopez - Candidate for Sherriff | Joel Greenberg Files
Thread: https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1409665921778556931.html
The Twitter archive zip file just needs to be unzipped to a folder on your computer. You can use a free app/program like 7zip to unzip the file. Once unzipped you will see a file called Index.html (or similarly named HTML file) in the folder. Open this file and you should see an offline version of your twitter account in your browser.
I've downloaded my archive file regularly and judging by the varying file sizes I believe each archive only includes tweets posted since the previous archive was taken. Not checked this, but it's the only explanation that makes sense. So, be sure to keep all archive files downloaded. Also, be sure to keep backups on an external hard drive and/or USB pen. Personally, I prefer to keep backups on at least two external devices.
The possibility to quote tweet is sorely missed on the pachyderm. I don’t mind the the name, since it’s never used in French (mastodon/ mastodonte)- no bad connotations. Taylor Lorenz brought up the lack of QT and I think it will be made possible... but not right now. Searching is also an issue. It’s easier to go back to Twitter and search there. There’s a thing called Post that’s new. There’s a waitlist and I have no idea what it will look like. Someone absolutely needs to come up with an app devoted to opening Twitter archives and make them useable -- all those ex-employees should be able to come up with that! People would pay for it!