If you're plugged into Japanese trends, you probably know that beyond major online media, X (formerly Twitter) is a go-to for checking out what's hot and happening in Japan, with tons of creators and users sharing info there.
Recently, a user shared their chat with some high schoolers, who apparently see X as "an old-fashioned, text-heavy, totally uncool social media platform only for older generations." Some even flat-out said, "What's the point of tweeting? It's kinda creepy." Naturally, that sparked a massive online debate.
The whole kerfuffle started with this user's post, where they recounted their conversation with high school students. The teens' impression of X? "It's for old people, full of text, and super boring and outdated." They even found the idea of "tweeting" totally weird and a bit unsettling.
The user couldn't help but blurt out, "Twitter is the most fun social media platform in the world, though!?" — a phrase they'd normally never utter. It left them wondering if high schoolers really think X is ancient history.
But thinking about it, if they find the act of "posting" itself strange, then from their perspective, it's not entirely incomprehensible. For me, a text-heavy timeline is actually what I love.
However, when the user showed their own timeline to the high schoolers, they immediately exclaimed, "Whoa, it's literally all text... that's terrifying!" They even burst out laughing. This "too much text" impression seems to be alienating some younger generations from Twitter.
The post blew up, with many users joking that the situation was like, "You can complain about your girlfriend all you want, but the moment someone else trashes her, you're instantly like, 'My girlfriend is awesome, okay!?'"
Many users pointed out that while X often gets slammed as "trash" by its own users, it's definitely not "old-fashioned." Some even stressed X's crucial role as an information tool during disasters, citing examples like "even Elon Musk wanted to buy it, and Trump created an alternative platform" as proof of its undeniable value.
Some more level-headed users analyzed that text carries ideas, while videos and images lean towards sensory stimulation. With the rise of short-form video platforms, Gen Z tends to consume visuals rapidly, no longer seeking "long-form textual soul-searching."
However, plenty of self-proclaimed high schoolers pushed back, arguing the original poster was exaggerating. One commented, "I'm a high schooler, and lots of my friends and I use it!" Another added, "About 80% of our class has an account, and 30% scroll daily."
What's more, some users even shared official data from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, showing that X usage among teens (the "10s" demographic) is actually higher than among 30-somethings. This suggests the claim that "X has been abandoned by the younger generation" might be debatable and could vary by region.
That said, when stacked against TikTok and Instagram, those platforms definitely pull in even higher usage rates among the 10s demographic.
Overall, this discussion highlights the generational divide in social media habits. Gen Z is accustomed to short videos and images as their primary communication, finding "all-text" platforms heavy and old-fashioned—much like Japan's 5ch forums, which also see a lower proportion of young users. Nevertheless, X remains one of Japan's most widely used social media platforms.
via： togetter