"No, They Won’t Leave: Twitter Diehards Stand Strong Against X"

Miss the friendly blue bird logo of Twitter? You’re not alone. A passionate community of Twitter enthusiasts is pushing back against Elon Musk’s controversial rebranding of the social media platform to X. To cope with the changes, many are resorting to technology to recreate their beloved Twitter experience.

Jonny Buchanan, a developer, has taken a stand by creating a web browser extension called ‘Control Panel for Twitter.’ This handy tool includes multiple features designed to revert the platform's recent branding changes, effectively restoring the nostalgic feel of Twitter. The extension is available across popular browsers, including Safari, Chrome, Firefox, and Edge on desktop, as well as Safari, Firefox Beta, and Kiwi Browser on mobile devices. Since its launch, the extension has gained significant traction, with over 100,000 downloads from users eager to bring back the familiar Twitter vibe.

The rebranding, which took place in late July shortly after Musk acquired the platform, removed the iconic bird logo, a symbol that has resonated with users worldwide for years. The shift has drawn considerable criticism, with many viewing it as a misguided marketing strategy. Musk, however, has justified the change by expressing a vision for a more comprehensive app—one that transcends its original role as a simple social media platform. He aims to integrate additional functionalities like financial transactions, suggesting that the name "Twitter" now seems inadequate for the app's ambitious future.

Yet, the rebranding has left many users disheartened. Belinda Davey, an Australian user, turned to Apple's Shortcuts feature to change her phone app icon back to the classic bird logo. She shared her workaround, which quickly went viral on social media, amassing over 1.5 million views and inspiring others to do the same.

Data from SensorTower, a market intelligence firm, reveals the substantial impact of the rebranding on user sentiment. Over 70% of reviews for the X app on iOS have received a one-star rating since the change, indicating significant dissatisfaction. In a comparison over the previous month, the ratings showed that half of Twitter's user base expressed similar discontent.

Despite this backlash, X maintains that internal surveys reveal a more positive public reception, with 75% of surveyed individuals reporting feeling "good or extremely positive" about the new branding. This discrepancy between public reviews and internal feedback highlights the diverse opinions surrounding the platform's future direction.

As fans continue to grapple with the transition, it remains to be seen how the brand evolution will ultimately shape the user experience and community engagement on the platform long-term.