When Elon Musk acquired Twitter, now known as “X,” there were immediate concerns about how his leadership style and company would hinder “Black Twitter.” While not technically a separate platform,  Dr. Moody-Ramirez, author of From Blackface to Black Twitter: Reflections on Black Humor, Race, Politics and Gender, explains that Black Twitter is not a separate digital platform or space. Instead, Black Twitter is an integral subset of Twitter, serving as a grassroots movement that gives a unified voice to a predominantly Black user base. Users commonly connect through #BlackTwitter hashtags and discuss the Black experience and current events. Black Twitter is a gold mine for jokes and social commentary; for some Black users- Twitter is a digital safe space where one can vent and build community. For others, it is a place to find news. Still, some turn to it to share relevant personal information and narratives impacting the Black community.

But what happens when the information is faculty inaccurate? When misinformation on Black Twitter is carefully crafted and circulated? Falsehoods on social media cascade like dominoes, where one push leads to an unstoppable chain reaction. The dominoes fell in early January. Unfortunately, a false claim of HIV was the push.

What happened: A False Tweet “Exposing Someone’s HIV Status”

Early last month, around January 9th, a user who identified as a woman, known now as “#Where’sNadine,” claimed a man “gave her HIV.” While the original tweet is now deleted,  several pages still feature screenshots and lingering videos of the scandal. It was even featured on the HBCU Shaderoom, a page with over 120K followers.  

It all started with one tweet and screenshot; in the initial tweet, the accuser presented a text thread filled with messages such as “ I got back my results. How long did you know?” and “How could you do this to me,” “my life is done.” Toward the end of the text thread, “please forgive me” appears as a white text,  indicating that this was sent from the other person- the man who was accused. Of note, not only did this tweet feature texts, but it also featured the name, school, and a picture of the young man accused of “giving” the young woman HIV. This piece will not feature this information to protect the young man’s privacy, which has already been invaded.
The original tweet received close to 10 million views, and that does not include any reposts from independent pages. For example, this tweet alone has close to 35K. Other users shared that she had reached out to them and told them to “be careful” about sleeping with the young man. 

Almost immediately, this information spread, and people flocked to Twitter to vocalize their outrage about the news. Responses ranged from calls to lock him up for HIV, noting North Carolina’s HIV criminalization policies. Others claimed that the man was gay, and some chose to spread misinformation about how HIV is handled or managed- stating that the young woman should “prepare for her funeral.”

To Twitter’s surprise, the young man was clueless about the situation. He returned to Twitter with threats and hundreds of notifications. In this screenshot, he shared, “That’s it. I’m committing suicide, Y’all ruined my life! I’m innocent. Y’all really came to where I lay my head. Bullying and stalking my family.” People rebutted and claimed he would share his results if he didn’t have anything to hide. 

Then, within less than five days, he was tested, and broadcasted his results on IG Live. With the tweet reaching 17 million views, he was able to show Black Twitter that he was not living with HIV. 

Equipped with this new information, users were enraged. The problem? The woman was nowhere to be found. Her page-nonexistent. The tweet-erased.  Some even hypothesized that the young lady was texting herself as “proof.” 

Why was this tweet harmful?

With a combined engagement of over 25 million views, the user undoubtedly caused a storm.  While she is now absent, like a tornado, she left devastation and debris in her wake. She was able to leave Twitter, but the spread of misinformation, especially related to HIV, is incredibly dangerous and troublesome and could place one directly in harm's way. 

1. Power and Importance of Black Twitter for health information: 

   For many, Black Twitter has emerged as a formidable force in shaping discourse and driving change, particularly within culture and health promotion. For example, Black Twitter was used to spread information about the COVID-19 vaccine. It was also employed as a cultural space to discuss depression in Black men after Kid Cudi disclosed his mental health woes. 

   Due to various factors ranging from historical atrocities to personal anecdotes, many Black people, especially in the South, still have a significant distrust of the medical establishment; therefore, using other community message channels, like Twitter, is paramount.

   Unfortunately, this incident also highlights how a tool for social good can be weaponized to inflict harm. In this circumstance, the intentional misinformation spread quickly and prompted conversations. Yet, the conversations’ content, tone, and extent were troublesome, as nearly every tweet hurled toxic insults or epithets at the young man.

2. Revenge and Vengeance Against People Living With HIV: Personal and Political 

   As highlighted above, the tweet did not disclose the gentleman’s number but featured his face and where he went to school. Almost immediately, he was doxed. Not only was he put in harm’s way, but so were his friends and family. Additionally, he no longer had a safe space to learn because his campus was filled with people who believed he intentionally engaged in intercourse to “pass on” HIV. Even if this story were true, the idea of individuals on the internet being able to locate and inflict violence due to a secondhand tale ought to be troublesome for everyone. This is especially true considering the massive strides we have made in HIV research, treatment, and care. 

   While this man is not living with HIV, the notion that one living with HIV  should be “told on” as a “warning to others” is frightening and sends the subtle message that those with HIV are not worthy of love and certainly not entitled to sex. If the woman wanted to warn his other sexual partners, why broadcast on Twitter? Instead of a warning, it was an open invitation to inflict personal harm and violence all predicated on a false HIV status.  

   The personal often turns political, which was also confirmed in this circumstance. When vigilante justice failed, there were almost immediate calls to lock the man up; some even provided links to local prosecutors and the HIV criminalization law. 6 months ago, these same accounts also featured principles of equity and liberation. 

   Many in the community seem to be against state intervention and the use of police as a form of justice, but this idea seems to flee once HIV enters the conversation. 

   A high level of HIV stigma is one of the most prominent reasons. 

3. Perpetuation of Stigma

   Much of this outrage was rooted in HIV stigma, which the CDC notes is negative attitudes and beliefs about people with HIV. People living with HIV are often viewed as socially unacceptable. Stigma is abundant here in a multitude of ways. 

   While this story of living with HIV is not valid, we know thousands of Black men and women are living with HIV. This falsehood not only took away attention and narratives around people actually living with HIV, but it also clearly illuminated the mental health impacts of such. The man accused expressed suicidal thoughts; unfortunately, this sentiment is often shared with people living with HIV. The language used is also dangerous as it constructs blame, and words like “gave me” and “spread” highlight this. This style guide explains what language should be used to avoid further stigma. It should also be noted when and where this was focused- the accused attended a private Christian HBCU in Raleigh, North Carolina.

   Lastly and perhaps most importantly, this incident implies that one’s HIV status is public information for consumption and that this information must be shared when pressed or questioned. Outing someone's HIV status without their consent is not just a breach of privacy; it's a violent act that can have devastating consequences. It strips individuals of their agency and livelihoods. In a society where HIV-related stigma is still rampant, the disclosure of someone's HIV status can reinforce harmful stereotypes, fueling a narrative of fear and misinformation. In the long term, this is worrisome for public health because a culture of shame, silence, and stigma can run rampant and hinder testing and outreach efforts-especially on HBCU campuses.

   This action was not merely counterproductive but incredibly dangerous, reckless, and irresponsible. In this digital age, where information can be disseminated with the click of a button, the ethical responsibility to protect the privacy of individuals' HIV status is paramount. 

The battle against HIV is not just fought in clinics and research labs; it's fought in the everyday choices we make to respect each other's narratives and rights. Musk’s takeover did not seem to impact the power and prominence of Black Twitter, but another question is essential- how do Black users want to use Twitter? For social good or to spread stigma? There is ample evidence it has the power to do both.