LWVUS Stance on Social Media Platforms and Updates

Bluesky and Threads

Updated 4/17/2025 

After very careful and thoughtful consideration, the Communications Team has made the decision to officially depart from X (Twitter) and focus on building a strong presence on BlueSky and Threads. We recognize that the digital landscape is constantly evolving, and it’s important for us to align with platforms that support our core values of transparency, civic engagement, and democracy. However, we strongly recommend that Leagues NOT deactivate their Twitter accounts. Deactivating League accounts leaves the possibility for bad actors to impersonate your League online. 

With that said, we are thrilled to announce that LWVUS and VOTE411 are officially on BlueSky and Threads! (You can learn more about these platforms below)  

Give us a follow: @lwvus.bsky.social (BlueSky) and @leagueofwomenvoters @VOTE411 (Threads). 

More Guidance Coming Soon 

We understand that transitioning to new platforms can be a learning curve, so we will share more detailed guidance and best practices for these new platforms in the coming weeks. Please reach out to the Communications Team at [email protected] if you have any questions. We hope to see you on BlueSky and Threads!  

TikTok  

1/23/25 | TikTok Ban 

Background  

On January 17, 2025, the US Supreme Court ruled against TikTok, rejecting the app’s First Amendment challenge and allowing the ban to go into effect on Jan.19. Following the ruling, the Biden Administration stated that given the timing, they will not implement the law and will leave it up to the incoming administration.  

A few hours before the ban, TikTok (along with CapCut and Lemon8) went dark around 10:30pm ET on Saturday, Jan. 18, which left millions of users confused. President Trump announced over the weekend that he would sign an executive order to pause the ban. ByteDance restored TikTok services to US users on Sunday following a 12-hr. temporary shutdown. 

Current Status

On Monday Jan. 20, President Trump signed an executive order to pause the TikTok ban for 75 days and give ByteDance additional time to sell a stake in the platform. TikTok currently works for those who already have the app installed on their phones but it is not available for download on the Apple and Google app stores. This means that there are no updates available, no new features, bug fixes, or performance improvements. Many believe that this could impact the TikTok app’s functionality and user experience.  

It is still unclear how this will play out.  

In the meantime, the LWVUS communications team recommends that Leagues with a TikTok account download all their data and videos. Instructions on how to do so are here. 

Meta (Instagram and Facebook) 

1/23/25 | Changes to Meta 

Earlier this month, Meta announced that it will be getting rid of its third-party fact-checking program which will ultimately increase the spread of mis/disinformation on its platforms. Meta will also reintroduce “political content” to people’s feeds after reducing the presence of political content over the past four years and loosen up their restrictions on what people can say on the apps, including potential hate speech. 

While we are not surprised about these changes, we will monitor all Meta platforms very closely. At this time, Facebook and Instagram remain essential for educating folks about the League’s work to empower voters and defend democracy.  

X (Twitter) Updates and Emerging Platforms

11/21/24: Emerging Platforms

Since Elon Musk bought Twitter (now, X) in 2022, the LWVUS Communications Team has closely monitored the ongoing changes to the platform.  

While we are aware that the platform has become a pay-for-play playground for mis- and disinformation, we believe that the League still has an important role as a trustworthy, nonpartisan, pro-democracy thought leader in the digital space, and LWVUS will continue to share our content across Twitter/X.  

We understand if state and local Leagues choose to no longer prioritize Twitter/X in their communications, but we recommend that Leagues NOT deactivate their accounts. Deactivating League accounts leaves the possibility for bad actors to impersonate your League online. For Leagues that choose to deprioritize the platform in your communications, we recommend maintaining the Twitter/X handles but ceasing posting there. LWVUS recommends Leagues download their Twitter data to keep a backup of their account's history. Follow these easy steps to download your Twitter archive or data: 

Go to settings and support > settings and privacy > your account > download an archive your data (verify your password) > Request data 

Please note this process may take 1-3 days. You'll receive an email when your data is ready to download.

The LWVUS Communications Team is also aware of the rising number of users flocking to Bluesky, a social network with a Twitter-like user interface. While LWVUS is not currently posting on Bluesky or on Instagram's Threads, we have safeguarded handles on these platforms and will continue to explore the possibility of building out a content strategy and engaging an audience on these emerging platforms. 

We will continue to let Leagues know if our stance and recommendations changes on any of these social media platforms. Please reach out to the LWUVS Communications Team at [email protected] if you have any questions. 

8/9/23: X Rebrand

The LWVUS communications team is closely monitoring social media trends and is aware of the X rebrand (formerly Twitter).  

The little blue bird is officially gone. On July 22, Twitter changed its name to X. As of writing this, the rebrand is just a name change, but we anticipate more changes in the coming months. 

LWVUS will continue to remain on X for the time being. If state and local Leagues choose to deprioritize the platform in their communications, we recommend that they don’t deactivate their accounts and instead focus on Meta platforms and TikTok. This will allow Leagues to safeguard their “names” and preserve old, valuable content.  

Leagues can find additional resources and best practices for social media here. We will continue to monitor X and will let Leagues know ASAP if our strategy changes.

July 2023: Threads

The LWVUS communications team is aware of the new social media platform, Threads, and is closely exploring the possibility of creating an account.   

Threads is a new text-based social platform launched by Meta that is already connected to one’s Instagram account. Within the app, you can post and reply to threads and include text, links, photos, or videos. We anticipate changes to the platform in the upcoming weeks as it is in its early stages.   

As of this writing, LWVUS is currently not on Threads but will continue to explore the possibility of joining. It is still unclear how well organizational accounts will fit in with the platform. If we determine that Threads is an ideal platform for us to join, we will let Leagues know ASAP and provide more guidance and best practices for Threads.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THREADS

4/5/23: Verification Check Marks

Starting April 1, Twitter will begin removing verification check marks for those not subscribed to the platform’s Twitter Blue service. This subscription includes a $1,000 monthly fee for organizations to keep their blue checkmark. 

With this change, the US League will not be paying the monthly subscription to keep LWVUS and VOTE411’s blue check marks. That being said, we recommend that state and local Leagues also not pay for this subscription. 

LWVUS will continue to remain on Twitter, and we recommend state and local Leagues also retain their accounts, even if you deprioritize the platform in your communications. The LWVUS Communications Team is closely monitoring the changes on Twitter and will let Leagues know ASAP if our stance on Twitter changes.

3/17/23: Two-Factor Authentication

See the specific guidance on Twitter's removal of two-factor authentication below.

Freedom of the press is both an essential right and a core pillar of American democracy. We are disturbed by the recent censorship of journalists across Twitter and will continue to monitor developments across this platform. The League sends its support to all those working to build a fair and free nation.

A Note on Digital Ads

LWVUS does not currently run paid ads on Twitter, as it has not proven to be the most effective platform to reach voters due to its political advertising policy. If Leagues are looking to advertise on social media, we recommend Leagues look to other avenues, such as Google or Meta, for ads or boosted posts. (Meta has ended their political advertising restriction period as of November 9.) Check out our guide for advertising on Meta.

Download Your Twitter Data 

With the ongoing changes to Twitter, now is a good time to take extra steps to protect your account and lock down your Twitter data. LWVUS recommends Leagues download their Twitter data to keep a backup of their account's history. Follow these easy steps to download your Twitter archive or data: 

Go to settings and support > settings and privacy > your account > download an archive your data (verify your password) > Request data 

Please note this process may take 1-3 days. You'll receive an email when your data is ready to download.

The LWVUS Communications Team will continue to watch how changes play out on Twitter and will let Leagues know ASAP if our stance on Twitter changes.  

Should you have any questions, please reach out to [email protected]. 

Removing Two-Factor Authentication

As of March 20, 2023, non-paying Twitter users can no longer use two-factor authentication to secure their accounts.

Alternative methods of keeping your account secure are available, such as using an authenticator app. Doing so is simple:

1. If you currently have two-factor authentication, Twitter will prompt you to remove it and present you with the option to switch to an authentication app.
   
   If you do not have two-factor authentication or are not prompted, look at the left-hand side of your screen and click the circle with three dots. Click "settings and support" and then "settings and privacy."  Click "security and account access" and then "security."

2. Select the option to use an "authentication app"

3. Download an authentication app to your phone, like Duo Mobile or Microsoft Authenticator

4. Scan the QR code shown on Twitter into your authentication app

5. Enter the code shown in your authentication app into the pop-up box on Twitter