Schezelle J. Ward
SPILL is the latest social media platform to pop up this year when many are looking for a less hostile environment to socialize online than Twitter. Since Elon Musk acquired Twitter in 2022, the app has undergone controversial changes, and that’s putting it mildly. Musk eventually stepped down as CEO last month, but not before he introduced a series of ‘money grab’ antics and user-restrictions that sent employees packing and left users looking for another place to take their 140 characters and their followers. Several platforms have popped up to try to snatch up those users since 2022 such as Mastadon, Substack Notes and Lemon8, but these apps have failed to address the anti-Blackness, anti-queerness and lack of content monitoring that made Twitter such a toxic place.
Maybe SPILL can get it right. SPILL is providing users with a Twitter-alternative without the racism, homophobia, and adbots. SPILL launched in June, co-developed by Alphonzo “Phonz” Terrell and DeVaris Brown intending to foster a safe and diverse space for those they call “culture drivers.” Both Black men worked for Twitter prior to developing SPILL, so they understood what their audience was looking for and how to bring it to fruition. While everyone is welcome, SPILL’s audience base is geared toward attracting Black and LGBTQ+ creatives and other marginalized groups looking for a better experience. “SPILL is the visual conversation at the speed of culture.” To Terrell and Brown, marginalized communities are the drivers of culture, but are usually side-lined in favor of white influencers who are celebrated for popularizing trends started by Black and LGBTQ+ creators.
Over the weekend, #spill was a trending topic on Twitter as popular Black creatives began migrating to SPILL, taking their predominately Black users with them, while simultaneously coming together to bully TheShadeRoom off of the app. Visually, the app is colorful and easy on the eyes with various color palettes customizable to your timeline. Users have 100 characters available to talk to their followers along with the standard pic, gif, and video options. “Spillionaires” can post to SPILL and quote, quote comment and like others’ posts and the app employs vernacular specific to the Black and LGBTQ+ communities, so its easy to navigate if you understand the lingo. SPILL is currently invite-only as it’s in its beta stages. So if you want to get on, you’ll have to get a code from a friend or sign up for the waiting list.
SPILL is available on iOS and an Android version is in development.
