The Guardian UK has officially announced its exit from Elon Musk’s platform, X (formerly Twitter), after citing growing concerns over the platform’s promotion of far-right conspiracy theories and racism.
In a statement released yesterday, the British news outlet explained that its editorial accounts would cease posting on the platform, deeming the environment “toxic” and no longer conducive to the promotion of its journalism
“We have decided that the benefits of being on X are now outweighed by the negatives,” the statement read. “Resources could be better used promoting our journalism elsewhere, given the often disturbing content found or promoted on the platform, including far-right conspiracy theories and racism.”
The newspaper added that the decision had been in the works for some time, especially after the US presidential election, which it believes highlighted the harmful influence X (formerly Twitter) had on political discourse.
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“X has become a toxic media platform,” the statement said, while also noting that its owner, Elon Musk, had shaped political conversations in ways the paper found troubling.
Despite the move, The Guardian made it clear that X users would still be able to share articles from its website.
The paper further emphasized that its reporters would continue to use the platform for news-gathering purposes, just as they do with other social media networks in which they do not officially engage. The outlet’s content will still occasionally be embedded in articles, as part of ongoing coverage.
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The decision to exit X aligns with The Guardian’s broader strategy of emphasizing direct reader support. “Our journalism is available and open to all on our website.
“We would prefer people to come to theguardian.com and support our work there. Our business model does not rely on viral content or the algorithms of social media giants.”it said.
