What to know
- The Guardian announced its departure from X (formerly Twitter), discontinuing posts from all its editorial accounts.
- The media organization cited X’s growing negativity, promotion of far-right conspiracy theories, and toxic environment as reasons for leaving.
- The Guardian maintains about 80 accounts with approximately 27 million followers on X, but will now focus on promoting journalism through other platforms.
The Guardian, a prominent UK-based media organization, has made a significant move by announcing its exit from X, marking another major departure from Elon Musk’s social media platform.
The news organization said that it has carefully evaluated the platform’s environment and concluded that the drawbacks now outweigh the benefits. The Guardian points to the increasing presence of disturbing content and far-right conspiracy theories as key factors in their decision.
The recent US presidential election campaign played a crucial role in this decision, as The Guardian observed how X has become a toxic media platform. They expressed concerns about Elon Musk’s ability to influence and shape political discourse through the platform.
While The Guardian will cease posting from its editorial accounts, readers can still share their articles on X. The organization’s journalists may continue to embed X content in their articles when necessary for news reporting purposes.
Elon Musk responded to this announcement with characteristic directness, dismissing The Guardian as “irrelevant” and labeling it a “laboriously vile propaganda machine.”
This departure follows similar moves by other major news organizations, including NPR and PBS, who left the platform in 2023. While major corporations like Apple, IBM, and Disney maintain their presence on X, they have stopped their advertising activities on the platform.
The Guardian emphasizes that this strategic move aligns with their business model, which focuses on direct reader support rather than viral social media content. They encourage their audience to visit their website directly and support their journalism through other channels.
