Rage-tweeting is on the rise | Morning Newsletter
And how Philadelphians feel about housing.
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The Morning Newsletter
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It’s Erin Gavle, temporarily covering for Taylor. And if I were you, I’d pack an umbrella. There’s a 90% chance of rain today, with a high of 57.
According to a national study, an increasing number of people are using social media to air their complaints, sometimes with revenge as motivation.
And ahead of Philadelphia’s mayor’s race, a survey found twice as many Black Philadelphians as white residents think housing affordability should be a top priority for the city.
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— Erin Gavle (@erinkgavle, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
According to the National Customer Rage Survey (yes, that’s a thing), customer problems with goods and services are at an all-time high, doubling since 2020.
About half of those surveyed used social media, an online chat, or email to complain, compared to 5% just three years ago, and those digital options have overtaken the telephone as the primary channel to air grievances.
And the percentage of people who said they wanted “revenge” — defined in the survey as payback or punishment — has tripled to 9% since 2020.
But one expert says the motivation isn’t all negative emotion. Sometimes customers simply want to alert other people, so they don’t also have a bad experience.
Diana Smith of Collegeville has found social media to be the most efficient way to get issues resolved and provide feedback. “Someone is there to listen to you,” she said. “You’re not put on hold.”
Read more on how organizations like Philadelphia International Airport, SEPTA, and the Delaware River Port Authority are increasingly tapping into the feedback they receive on these platforms and using them as listening tools.
Overall, about 3 in 5 Philadelphians think housing affordability and homelessness need to be top priorities for the city’s next mayor to address, according to a Lenfest Institute for Journalism/SSRS poll that surveyed more than 1,200 people.
Here are five takeaways:
1️⃣ Overall, Philadelphians ranked crime as the city’s most important issue. But where households can afford to live determines how much they are affected by crime.
2️⃣ Two-thirds of survey respondents who said gun violence has a major impact on their community said affordable housing should be a top priority in the city. They prioritized housing more often than those who are less affected or unaffected by gun violence.
3️⃣ Of the respondents whose households make less than $50,000 per year, 69% said affordable housing should be a top priority for the city.
4️⃣ Twice as many Black residents as white ones think housing affordability should be a top priority. Three-quarters of Black survey respondents prioritized it, compared with fewer than 2 in 5 white respondents.
5️⃣ Residents who have been homeless or had unstable housing within the last three years were more likely than those with secure housing to say Philadelphia isn’t a good place to live.
Dig in to the rest of the data for yourself.
What you should know today
Following a chemical spill, officials advised Philly residents to drink bottled water on Sunday afternoon but then said tap water was safe to consume through 11:59 p.m. Monday.
The death toll after a Friday explosion at the R.M. Palmer chocolate factory in West Reading has increased, according to authorities.
A man who was cleared of a wrongful murder conviction in 2017 was arrested Saturday and charged with committing a new homicide in North Philadelphia.
Helen Gym has evolved from a teacher into a school board protester and is now running for mayor as a “tough Philly mom.” Read our candidate profile here.
Our Mother of Consolation Parish School, which lost everything in a fire, is already planning its future.
The Fountain Fund has just launched in Philly hoping to alleviate barriers to access to capital for formerly incarcerated citizens.
A North Philly home-care worker is speaking out against a noncompete agreement that landed her in court.
Philly loves its Pops. But fans are frustrated by postponements and lack of communication. 🔑
🧠 Trivia time 🧠
What change is coming to some El stations to dissuade turnstile jumpers?
A) canine security
B) very tall gates
C) more SEPTA Transit Police
D) All of the above
Got your answer locked in? Check it right here. 🔑
What we're
📺 Rewatching: “Abbott Elementary” while we wait for a new episode to drop in April. Here’s our Season 2 recap guide if you want to catch up quick.
🌇 Planning: To eat before sunrise and after sundown at spots we found in this Ramadan restaurant guide.
🕊️ Reading: The names of the 516 homicide victims from 2022, which columnist Helen Ubiñas has dedicated space to with the hope that it will “ground us all in the crisis that our city is experiencing and make it less abstract.”
🧩 Unscramble the anagram 🧩
Hint: Pride of North Philly, chasing a second straight NCAA title.
SLANT YAWED
Email us if you know the answer and we’ll select a reader at random to shout out here. You can even send us your own original anagram to unscramble!
Photo of the day
That’s all, folks. If you need me I’ll be checking on the early results of our Cheesesteak Bracket before voting closes on April 3. Take care!