The Guardian, a leading British Daily, is quitting X, claiming an increase in toxicity and the worsening environment on the platform.
Such concerns already existed for a long time within the media outlet regarding the kind of discourse and content happening on the platform, especially during the recent U.S. presidential election.
For The Guardian, recent elections made these problems all the more clear, and now they are permanently leaving this social media site.
Why it is quitting X?
The Guardian, in a statement published on November 13, said: “We wanted to let readers know that we will no longer post on any official Guardian editorial accounts on the social media site X. We feel that the benefits of being on X are now outweighed by the negatives and that resources could be better used promoting our journalism elsewhere.”
The Guardian said that they were pulling out from the platform because of its often disturbing content, ranging from conspiracy theories and far-right propaganda.
Some of this toxicity, it said, is attributable to Elon Musk himself, the owner of X, which has endemic problems. “I mean, Elon does control the room in a certain way, maybe certain narratives that are being allowed to flourish because of his presence or view.”
The Guardian expressed unease with Musk’s political role, noting that his actions may have helped shape the discourse surrounding Donald Trump’s campaign. Following Trump’s re-election, Musk is now set to lead a newly created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), tasked with improving governance and reducing waste.
The Guardian has more than 30 official accounts and a combined following that exceeds 20 million on X. It will halt all editorial postings on the platform, though, clarifying in a statement that individual reporters will be free to use X for news-gathering purposes.
This exit marks an important step for The Guardian, a move that shows the growing debate for media organizations regarding social media risks and benefits. “Social media can be an important tool for news organizations and help us reach new audiences,” The Guardian stated, “but, at this point, X now plays a diminished role in promoting our work.”
Elon Musk, took over the platform in 2022 and rebranded it as X, and has received harsh criticism for how he runs the platform, from policy to content moderation.
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