Last month, Citron Research pulled the plug on Twitter Inc TWTR assuming fallout from a negative Amnesty International report. The human rights organization had criticized Twitter for facilitating abuse of women and minorities, prompting Citron to label the site the “Harvey Weinstein of social media.”
But a minority woman on Twitter has reshaped the short-seller's position.
“A lot has changed in a month,” Citron’s Andrew Left wrote in a new report. “As if an angel was looking over Jack Dorsey’s shoulder – enter Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, also referred to by as ‘AOC.’ The ‘anti-Trump’ has adopted Twitter has her medium of choice and will bring a new generation of users with open minds on the platform.”
'A-OK Because Of AOC'
The fiery Democratic congresswoman has attracted a new audience to the virtual public square.
Google searches for her Twitter handle have spiked since December, and she’s generated twice as many interactions as Sen. Kamala Harris, nearly five times as many as CNN, and six times as many as Speaker Nancy Pelosi or Sen. Chuck Schumer. In fact, Citron said, she’s racked up more than the six most prominent news organizations combined.
Axios suggested Ocasio-Cortez has more Twitter power than anyone but President Donald Trump, and her House floor remarks earned C-SPAN its most-ever views.
“The AOC Twitter phenomenon is stronger than any report from Amnesty International or any survey that shows millennials have lost interest in Twitter,” Left wrote.
Stabilizing User Growth
Citron suggested her fame would be enough to stabilize Twitter’s monthly-active-user metric and reinvigorate the site.
“More importantly, it will keep Twitter the idea leader for the next presidential election,” Left wrote. “The rise of Ms. Cortez on Twitter is exactly what the platform needed.”
Twitter shares traded at $32.13 at time of publication.
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