The Guardian has officially announced its departure from Elon Musk’s social media platform, X, previously known as Twitter.
This move follows growing concerns over the rise of harmful content on the platform, including racism and far-right conspiracy theories.
In a message to its readers, The Guardian revealed that it would no longer post from any of its official accounts on X due to the increasingly negative aspects of the platform.
The media outlet emphasized the platform’s problematic nature, citing “often disturbing content” as a primary factor in its decision.
“We wanted to let readers know that we will no longer post on any official Guardian editorial accounts on the social media site X,” the Guardian said.
With over 80 official accounts and nearly 27 million followers, The Guardian maintained a significant presence on X.
However, concerns about content related to far-right conspiracy theories, racism, and the coverage of the US presidential election played a pivotal role in the organization’s decision to withdraw.
“This is something we have been considering for a while given the often disturbing content promoted or found on the platform, including far-right conspiracy theories and racism,” it said.
“The US presidential election campaign served only to underline what we have considered for a long time: that X is a toxic media platform and that its owner, Elon Musk, has been able to use its influence to shape political discourse.”
Since purchasing X for $44 billion in 2022, Elon Musk, a self-described “free speech absolutist,” has faced criticism over the platform’s content standards.
Various anti-hate speech advocacy groups and the European Union have voiced concerns about X’s handling of hate speech and misinformation.
Musk’s decisions to reinstate banned accounts such as conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, influencer Andrew Tate, and far-right activist Tommy Robinson have drawn widespread scrutiny.
Despite the decision to cease official postings, The Guardian noted that users would still be able to share its articles on the platform and that X posts might still be embedded in its live news coverage.
Additionally, The Guardian’s journalists are allowed to use X for newsgathering in line with the organization’s social media guidelines.
“Social media can be an important tool for news organisations and help us to reach new audiences but at this point X now plays a diminished role in promoting our work. Our journalism is available and open to all on our website and we would prefer people to come to theguardian.com and support our work there,” the Guardian said.
The Guardian is not alone in distancing itself from X. National Public Radio (NPR) and PBS both ceased activity on the platform last year after being labeled as “state-affiliated media.”
More recently, the Berlin Film Festival announced its exit from X, and the North Wales police force suspended its use due to misalignment with its values.
Additionally, in August, the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital cited “an increased volume of hate speech and abusive commentary” as the reason for its departure from the platform.
Elon Musk responded to The Guardian’s announcement on X, calling the publication “irrelevant” and a “laboriously vile propaganda machine.”
The Guardian’s decision underscores the growing concerns among organizations about the changing landscape of social media and the role it plays in spreading harmful content.
As more prominent entities reconsider their presence on platforms like X, the question remains: will other media organizations follow suit?
