Twitter turned 20 this week, marking two decades since Jack Dorsey sent the platform's first tweet. For many longtime users, the anniversary feels hollow — what was once a vibrant social hub has devolved into X, a platform drowning in AI-generated content and controversial algorithms. The transformation from Twitter to X under Elon Musk's ownership represents one of tech's most dramatic platform collapses.

Once a place where internet strangers became friends and live-tweeting events was exciting, the platform now serves up endless AI slop, hot takes from tech executives, and engagement bait. X's recommendation algorithm now relies on Grok, the company's AI chatbot that has generated headlines for spewing racism, creating child abuse material, and declaring Musk "the single greatest person in modern history." The same Grok that once referred to itself as MechaHitler.

Twitter's legacy includes both innovation and controversy. Dorsey's first tweet became an NFT that sold for nearly $3 million five years ago but is now functionally worthless. Last year, the iconic 560-pound Twitter bird sign was blown up in a Nevada desert surrounded by Tesla CyberTrucks — a fitting farewell to "Larry" the bird. For many former power users, Twitter's 20th birthday isn't nostalgic; it's a reminder of how quickly digital communities can disappear.