The Tameside Radio presenter's latest column has been sparked by Elon Musk's takeover of Twitter...

Social media. Where would we be without it? I often think of all the time I'd have available to work my way through my 'guilt library' (all the books I've bought over recent years with good intentions of reading them). I'd maybe go out for more walks and get closer to my November target of strolling 121 miles, in aid of the Royal British Legion. I'd perhaps even catch extra films at the cinema, although I'm doing pretty well on that front, having watched ten on the big screen in October.

One thing I think would definitely improve would be my mental health. Formula One legend Lewis Hamilton, who has amassed more than 30 million followers on Instagram and almost eight million on Twitter, thinks "we should all come off social media", and has spoken about it being a toxic place. I tend to agree, although I still scroll through it in bed most nights like it's the Argos catalogue.

Elon Musk has finally purchased Twitter, following a long game of legal ping pong between him and the company. Several big cheeses have been put out to pasture, and he describes himself on the platform now as "Twitter Complaint Hotline Operator". Whilst I know a tiny proportion of our readers will be active on the platform, it is a place where a lot of news is made these days, so it's definitely worth discussing.

Questions have arisen over the potential return of banned accounts, such as those belonging to a certain former Apprentice contestant and former US President, as Musk is all about free speech. There has also been an interesting row about potentially charging the so-called "Twitterati" eight dollars a month for the privilege of their verified status. No cash, no tick.

For the uninitiated, official accounts are afforded a blue tick, which gives them verified status. Author Stephen King is horrified by the prospect of being charged, saying Twitter should pay him for tweeting, and stating he would leave the platform if the charges went ahead. Musk said in reply - "We need to pay the bills somehow! Twitter cannot rely entirely on advertisers".

Social media advertising is seen by a lot of eyeballs, but how many are really paying attention? We're told that paying users will get their tweets prioritised, be able to post longer video and audio clips, see fewer adverts, and bypass some publishers' paywalls. I'm not sure in the current climate that anyone would want to shell out for social media. It feels like the new "Chief Twit" (self-styled) is on a hiding to nothing with this one.

Advertising currently comprises over 90 per cent of the Twitter business model, and Musk is looking to reduce that reliance, even as some companies pause their campaigns whilst they assess the platform's future under his leadership. It will be an interesting one to watch. He's not paid 44 billion dollars to keep things the same. In the meantime, I've had great fun winding up my friends James and Will, who mocked me for my lack of a blue tick. Needless to say, I've had the last laugh.

Aside from the economics, is social media in danger of sending us all down a rabbit hole? I was reminded by a friend the other day about the importance of reading stuff we don't agree with. It is a handy test for your own opinions, and moreover it gives a wider perspective on the world. Whilst I wouldn't ever countenance hate speech or harassment being allowed on social media any more than it already is, I'm up for reading different political viewpoints, as long as things are kept civil. I think there is a danger with Twitter in particular that we end up just reading stuff we already agree with. There's sometimes confusion between bias and challenge, with the BBC sometimes being accused of the former, whilst it's actually doing the latter.

Social media is here to stay, like it or not. However, if all users end up being charged, I'll be leaving without hesitation, and tackling my book mountain! I miss the days of handwritten letters and might make it a New Year's resolution to start sending them again. Even text messages feel like old news in a world of WhatsApp. The world moves quickly! I'm sounding old now. Time to fax this column to the editor...

You can listen to Alex every weekday from 7am to 11am and on the 'Super Scoreboard' show on Saturdays from 3pm to 7pm, on Tameside Radio 103.6FM. 

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