# Can we link to our own tweets or other social media? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [January 12, 2020, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-link-to-our-own-tweets-or-other-social-media/846290 "2020-01-12T02:16:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2020, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-link-to-our-own-tweets-or-other-social-media/846290/21 "2020-01-13T17:04:13Z")
> [@Larry\_Borgia](#): > > For heaven’s sake, allowing people to link to their social media accounts won’t “move the discussions off board.” How could it? It’s not just linking to one’s social media accounts. As per the example in the OP, it’s saying that to get the full content of one’s ideas, the reader has to follow an off-site link. Why not just copy and paste that content in the post? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Librarian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_librarian/32/402_2.png) [@The\_Librarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Librarian)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2020, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-link-to-our-own-tweets-or-other-social-media/846290/22 "2020-01-13T17:44:47Z")
> [@TubaDiva](#): > > Because we want our users to discuss and debate stuff here and not take it off to some other site. > > It’s a community. It’s also a business and we need discussion and query between people to stay in business, that’s how this works. > > Because we want people actually interact with one another and not just copy what they said somewhere else, there’s not much discussion in that. > > You made a great social media post about something? It’s a first draft for what you’re going to say on the Straight Dope Message Board. Where (hopefully) it will get more than a thumbs up. > > Jenny > your humble TubaDiva > Administrator Do you have a cite for that? This board whole culture is grounded on the idea that you can/should link to other sources. Why would you make an exception for twitter? ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2020, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-link-to-our-own-tweets-or-other-social-media/846290/23 "2020-01-13T17:52:01Z")
Citing one’s own Twitter account as proof of something is patently ridiculous. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2020, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-link-to-our-own-tweets-or-other-social-media/846290/24 "2020-01-13T18:01:04Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > Citing one’s own Twitter account as proof of something is patently ridiculous. Not necessarily. ‘I supported Pete Buttigieg back in March’ and then a link to my tweet is a cite that I did indeed support Pete early on and didn’t just jump on the bandwagon. ---
**Author:** ![GreysonCarlisle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a87d85/32.png) [@GreysonCarlisle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreysonCarlisle)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2020, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-link-to-our-own-tweets-or-other-social-media/846290/25 "2020-01-13T18:13:22Z")
IMO, the first example should have a tl;dr summary. Otherwise, it’s not much better than a bare link, which is frowned upon. > [@dalej42](#): > > OP: What did you think of this movie? > Dalej42: I thought it sucked \ Acceptable, I think, would be “I thought it sucked \ because the acting was overdone, the script wasn’t ready, and the lens flares gave me a headache.” The second example, though, looks fine to me. The tl;dr summary is right there–a chihuahua in deep snow–and it’s perfectly on-topic for local conditions. > [@](#): > > OP: How bad is the snow where you are? > Dalej42: Well, don’t let a chihuahua out in my neighborhood \ ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2020, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-link-to-our-own-tweets-or-other-social-media/846290/26 "2020-01-13T18:13:42Z")
> [@Larry\_Borgia](#): > > Why is it in discussion? Why isn’t the answer “Yes, of course.” Because I believe there is something about linking to other boards or something close to that. What qualifies as a board these days? ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2020, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-link-to-our-own-tweets-or-other-social-media/846290/27 "2020-01-13T18:23:42Z")
> [@kopek](#): > > Because I believe there is something about linking to other boards or something close to that. What qualifies as a board these days? Board wars are not allowed. And, I think it would be wrong to encourage people to Twitter shame someone as well. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2020, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-link-to-our-own-tweets-or-other-social-media/846290/28 "2020-01-13T18:27:55Z")
If you’ve said something interesting on Twitter, Instagram, or elsewhere that you think you should say here, well, just say it here. Especially Twitter. Not trashing Twitter, which I enjoy, but it sure makes a lot more sense to just say it again here than link to those \<280 characters. In those rare instances where I’ve said something on Twitter that bore repeating in a discussion here, I’ve just said it again here, without any suggestion that I’d already said it elsewhere. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2020, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-link-to-our-own-tweets-or-other-social-media/846290/29 "2020-01-13T18:37:09Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > IMHO … > > I’m fine with stuff that the SDMB doesn’t do like links to pics and videos as long as it is a clear what those are. (None of this “What do you think of this video?” nonsense.) > > Since the SDMB does text and it’s your text, C&P it here. > > Think of it this way: 1 person does a small task once vs. a lot of people clicking on a link, scrolling around, reading it (in an interface that is different from the SDMB), closing the tab and all that. Seems more efficient to me. This is pretty much how I feel. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2020, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-link-to-our-own-tweets-or-other-social-media/846290/30 "2020-01-13T20:52:56Z")
Another poster here [raises hand] who hates social media, and doesn’t click on TwitLinks. Now, I don’t mind if others want to link to their Twittiness, but I’ll never see it. So I’ll miss the rapier wit you displayed in your movie review, unless you copy/paste it… or, my recommendation, rewrite it for us (and see if it’s better). Nope, not clicking on your chihuahua pic either. (Now, a cute\* corgi\* in a snow drift…) ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2020, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-link-to-our-own-tweets-or-other-social-media/846290/31 "2020-01-13T22:25:22Z")
> [@Larry\_Borgia](#): > > This doesn’t make the tiniest bit of sense, but whatever. Is this a typo? Think of a thread with several people making links to outside posts. People trying to quote material in outside posts, etc. The coherence of the thread will dissolve. Then there’s the moderation thing. Maybe someone posts something not allowed here on an outside place and then links to it here just to try and get around things. And a million other ways this can be abused. The is a text-based message board. Keeping all the text in-thread where it can be easily seen, quoted, commented on and moderated makes megatons of sense. ---
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2020, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-link-to-our-own-tweets-or-other-social-media/846290/32 "2020-01-13T22:34:31Z")
Well has anyone noticed those links to Yahoo mail and such that appear under some peoples’ names? I remember seeing as many as four of them, an IM, a Yahoo, some other nonsense. Right there. The OP has two of them that I can see, without even trying. No idea if they work. Apparently it has been awhile since SDMB updated its icons. ---
**Author:** ![atimnie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atimnie/32/11_2.png) [@atimnie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/atimnie)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2020, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-link-to-our-own-tweets-or-other-social-media/846290/33 "2020-01-13T23:04:46Z")
Why do they still have the AIM button? Didn’t that go the way of the dodo some time ago? ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2020, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-link-to-our-own-tweets-or-other-social-media/846290/34 "2020-01-13T23:18:18Z")
Some people here are acting like they’re going to be forced to click on click on various links. Good lord, is it any different than if someone linked to their personal blog, or live journal? People give dubious sources all the time, but somehow, Twitter is the devil. Get over yourselves. Do you want this place to attract new members, or do you want it to die, make up your freaking minds. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2020, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-link-to-our-own-tweets-or-other-social-media/846290/35 "2020-01-13T23:34:06Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > Is this a typo? No. If a rule so profoundly clueless and idiotic is put in place, I will have to demand that the moderators prove that they aren’t wearing onions on their belts. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2020, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-link-to-our-own-tweets-or-other-social-media/846290/36 "2020-01-14T00:00:23Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > Some people here are acting like they’re going to be forced to click on click on various links. Good lord, is it any different than if someone linked to their personal blog, or live journal? > People give dubious sources all the time, but somehow, Twitter is the devil. Get over yourselves. > > Do you want this place to attract new members, or do you want it to die, make up your freaking minds. It’s no different if someone links to their personal blog or live journal, I won’t read those either. People have already been objecting to the odious practice of linking to an article or (ugh) a video with little to no context or opinion themselves and then ask others to comment on it or agree/disagree. I think people now are mostly asking that if you want to contribute something you said elsewhere, just repeat it here, don’t make people go off-site to read it. That’s lazy and doesn’t contribute much. Honestly, if a person habitually just links to stuff they’ve posted elsewhere without substantially contributing to discussions here then they’re a net negative. You say, “you don’t have to click the links” but that’s like saying we don’t have to read or respond to posts from trolls or other malcontents. The board is better without them. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2020, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-link-to-our-own-tweets-or-other-social-media/846290/37 "2020-01-14T02:43:17Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > Not necessarily. ‘I supported Pete Buttigieg back in March’ and then a link to my tweet is a cite that I did indeed support Pete early on and didn’t just jump on the bandwagon. Wow, you nailed me there. Reminds me of when I claimed that I was into the Red Hot Chili Peppers before it became cool… too bad that dial-up BBS I posted on back then has been closed for three decades. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2020, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-link-to-our-own-tweets-or-other-social-media/846290/38 "2020-01-14T03:51:40Z")
Good lord. Is Zotti back in charge? How about let’s try it? If it ends up not working out, stop allowing it and write it off as a failed experiment (like the link to digg on the bottom of every thread which is broken by the way). My prediction is that people linking to their Twitter accounts or whatever will be rare to the point of insignificant. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2020, 8:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-link-to-our-own-tweets-or-other-social-media/846290/39 "2020-01-14T08:21:15Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > It’s not just linking to one’s social media accounts. As per the example in the OP, it’s saying that to get the full content of one’s ideas, the reader has to follow an off-site link. Why not just copy and paste that content in the post? What if the off-site link has a picture or a video or a sound file? What if it’s a lengthy multi-post twitter thread that’s laborious to C&P? It probably won’t happen very often, and a lot of people–myself included–won’t do it. (I like to keep my SDMB experience separate from my social media experience.) But why not allow it for the people who want it? As Hajario says, it’s not set in stone. ---
**Author:** ![Fleetwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fleetwood/32/271_2.png) [@Fleetwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fleetwood)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2020, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-link-to-our-own-tweets-or-other-social-media/846290/40 "2020-01-14T13:35:05Z")
If using the heartbreak of adding avatars as a guide, this issue should be resolved around 2023 or so. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-link-to-our-own-tweets-or-other-social-media/846290.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-link-to-our-own-tweets-or-other-social-media/846290.md?page=3)