The UK news publisher, The Guardian, has decided to stop posting on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, which is now owned by Elon Musk. In an official statement, The Guardian explained that it no longer sees value in maintaining an active presence on X. Instead, it finds the platform increasingly filled with harmful content, including racist posts and far-right conspiracy theories.
With a large following of 10.7 million, The Guardian is the first major British news organization to leave X. The newspaper noted that its decision to stop posting is due to concerns about the spread of offensive and false information on the platform. The Guardian also pointed out that this issue has grown during the recent U.S. presidential election campaign.
The Guardian will still allow its readers to share its articles on X, and reporters will use the platform for gathering news when needed. However, The Guardian emphasized that its main focus is on directing readers to its official website for news, where its content is accessible to everyone.
In an editorial, The Guardian shared that it values social media for reaching new audiences but believes that X is no longer helpful in this regard. Thankfully, as a reader-funded organization, The Guardian doesn’t need to depend on viral social media trends. Instead, it can rely on direct support from its audience.
The Guardian’s move comes amid growing criticism of social media platforms, particularly in the UK, where X has faced scrutiny for failing to address issues related to racially charged and misleading content. In recent months, various British charities and even police departments have reduced their presence on X for similar reasons.
Meanwhile, Elon Musk, who publicly supports free speech, has also recently been given a role in the U.S. government to help improve its efficiency. Despite some organizations pulling back, the British government continues to use X, though it avoids paying for ads on the platform, favoring Meta’s platforms like Instagram and Facebook instead.
