By Kayla Moon for The Liberty Block
I’ve spent the last month on Spaces. Here’s what I’ve observed.
First and foremost, there is so much untapped potential. Many people still don’t know what it is or what it’s all about. In my opinion, it has the potential to supplant live radio if done correctly. I encourage anyone who has a smaller news platform, organization, or a cause to get active on Spaces.
But why should people make time for Spaces in their busy lives? In the past month, a small account like mine has been able to talk with so many interesting people from all around the world. I’ve been able to speak with Canadian activist ‘Billboard Chris’ and ask him important questions in regards to children and puberty blockers. I was able to talk to Victor Avila, a former ICE and DHS employee who is currently running for Congress. I asked him questions in regards to minors crossing the border, while highlighting how our foster care system and many others systems of support are failing tremendously. I then held my first broadcast with ‘Trash Discourse’ as my co-host. It was on the topic of why men are so important in our society. It pulled in around 368 people who tuned in live. I’ve been able to speak with journalists, politicians, activists, and tech entrepreneurs, and it has been absolutely fascinating.
With all this being said, there is a darker element that must be mentioned. Many people have concerns in regards to online safety. One woman I spoke with who is very active on Spaces who goes by ‘DD Geopolitics’ stated in regards to safety that she has been doxed and had the FBI come to her home due to an online stalker on the platform. This is a huge concern for many who have experienced shadow banning, harassment, and cyber stalking. Spaces as well as X (formerly Twitter) as a whole need to take individual users’ safety with a high level of concern. The social media company has a duty to its users to make sure people are able to utilize the blocking systems as the first line of defense if they ever come across someone who is unhinged on the platform.
Another concern of DD’s is X’s payment system. How does the platform plan on monetizing Spaces? A huge amount of effort and time goes into hosting, highlighting breaking news, and bringing in depth conversations to the public square. It would be beneficial to find a way to get hosts and co-hosts paid for their efforts. This is a highly competitive arena and there has to be a way to compensate people for their time beyond a space that you have to pay to be a part of. Kassandra Kuehl, another woman I spoke with, had this to say:
“No doubt, free speech is vital for a thriving society, promoting open dialogue and idea exchange. As X transitions into new terms of service and monetization options, it’s my platform of choice and where I’ve most been challenged.” She goes on to say “X’s audio spaces play a crucial role in the transition of the world’s most important transition in world history. It has allowed me to collaborate with leaders and have raw and real-time town hall conversations, fostering camaraderie AND ALSO healthy disagreements. I hope X fulfills its promises as a platform that fosters meaningful conversations. It remains my favorite platform, connecting individuals, facilitating dialogue, and promoting critical thinking.”
Spaces is for long form conversations, it’s for in -depth analysis, it’s uncensored, and it’s beautiful. Spaces is an emerging stage for alternative media, critical thinkers, and intellectuals alike. A global town square that brings people together to share, vent, and enlighten. It appears that people who do it consistently are like legitimate talk shows or radio hosts. They have a certain time that they broadcast every day, it’s reliable, topics are often interesting, and this strategy seems to work best for engagement. As for finding Spaces that interest you, it would be nice if there was a trending feature or an easier more user friendly way to find new hosts within the specific topics you’re interested in. There is a lot of room for growth and it feels like the final frontier of the internet. It’s one of the last free-speech zones for people around the world to share ideas and connect with others in real time which is vitally important and must be protected at all costs. So get involved, host or join, be open minded, learn, and enjoy.
This article does not necessarily reflect the opinions of The Liberty Block or any of its members. We welcome all forms of serious feedback and debate.
