[FlagsAreFun]

I have worked in the academic sector and been exposed to it for a number of additional years. Reading and disseminating research, and more importantly citations, are a key intrinsic metric for researchers, and a KPI providing extrinsic motivation from administration and research funding bodies.

Research impact is a huge force in the academic world these days, and research can only have impact if read, understood and scrutinised by other researchers - as well as the public.

[gubbrora]

My internal monologue when reading this:

Imagine if people got funding based on Twitter engagement - what a disaster.

Why?

Well people buy Twitter engagement from bots.

And they don't buy citations?

Oh nooo, I can see that become a trend too. We are doomed!