The internet is ruthless, and everybody knows that. Comment sections on Tiktok, Youtube, and Instagram are home to the cruelest forms of online bullying and ridiculing; however, one app in particular houses the most ruthless and tone-deaf users on the internet. That’s right, I’m talking about Twitter. This app is the gravest online travesty that has ever had the misfortune of enjoying creation.

Before I formally analyze this virtual catastrophe, I want to provide a disclaimer. Twitter is not entirely terrible! It’s not wrong to be a fan of someone or something. There is actually some extraordinarily interesting and funny content that spawns there which is unarguably entertaining. 

“Stan Twitter” houses a variety of “fandoms,” such as Kpop fans, Dream stans, anime fans, and thousands more. For those of you who aren’t chronically online, fandoms are communities of people who share similar likings for a piece of media or a public figure. These fandoms are home to some kind and considerate people. Unfortunately, the presence of those compassionate souls is drowned out by the caustic negativity of their bitter counterparts. Whenever I scroll through Twitter, I am immediately met with crazy internet Stans. Stan twitter is a community of hardcore fans who dominate the Twitter platform’s content, sharing videos, opinions, and information about certain celebrities or fandoms writing unimaginably outrageous things.  

I sacrificed two hours of my life scrolling through Twitter in order to conduct research for this article. What I have learned is that Twitter is problematic and harmful despite its giving birth to comical content. The negativity caused by harassing messages, death threats, and “fandom wars” overshadow the nevertheless present positivity. Stan culture can prove dangerous and detrimental to society. Stans become aggressors in the defense of other people they don’t even personally know – creating a toxic and alarming social environment. The fear of being “doxxed” by internet Stans is very real, with many being too frightened to outwardly share their genuine opinions for fear of being on the receiving end of hate.

For instance, let’s take a look at the 2021 Grammy Awards. After Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande won the Grammy for best pop duo/group, a certain unnamed fandom of one of the nominees began sending death threats and harassing tweets to the two pop-icons. As I continued to scroll, I began to notice some bizarre and concerning patterns. I witnessed many threads and fandom wars with rude and highly un-Quakerly statements and remarks. Death threats to other celebrities and the spreading of false rumors were very common. 

I asked one of my freshman peers, Arielle Roberts, for her thoughts. “It’s terrifying harassment,” she said. Daren Zhong, another freshman, chooses to stay away from any such online group. “Given their diehard tendencies, I prefer to distance myself from such a community,” he said.

Not everyone is as restrained as Zhong, however. Twitter can have addictive qualities. There are many videos and tweets that left me endlessly scrolling and giggling like a five year-old, when I should really have been writing this article. It provides temporary happiness by distracting Twitter users from real life responsibilities and duties. There have been many iconic videos and culturally shocking media that have plagued my brain, but in the best way possible. Like I said, they aren’t all atrocities. 

In conclusion, I recommend staying far away from “Stan Twitter.” Don’t make the same mistake I did. My twitter feed is forever corrupted by this foolish endeavor and the negative consequences most definitely outweigh the good. I was hesitant to write about this for Inkwell, but I felt the topic of Stan culture is an important and worthwhile discussion.