Guardian quits X social media platform, citing racism and conspiracy theories

British news publisher the Guardian said on Wednesday (Nov 13) it will no longer post on X, citing “disturbing content” on the social media platform, including racism and conspiracy theories.
The left-leaning Guardian, which has 10.7 million followers on X, becomes the first large UK media company to retreat from the platform that Elon Musk purchased in 2022.
Critics say Musk’s hands-off approach has allowed lies and hate speech to spread on the platform formerly known as Twitter.
“We think 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 in an editorial published on its website.
“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.”
“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.”
The paper’s main X handle – @guardian – was still accessible on Wednesday but a message on it advised “this account has been archived” while redirecting visitors to its website.
The Guardian noted that X users would still be able to share its articles and that it would still “occasionally embed content from X” within its articles given “the nature of live news reporting”.
It also said its reporters would still be able to use the site and other social networks on which the paper does not have an account.
“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,” the Guardian added.
In response, Musk posted on X and said of the Guardian: “They are irrelevant.”
Musk, who supported Donald Trump ahead of his US election victory this month, has said he is defending freedom of speech.
Trump on Tuesday named Musk to a role aimed at creating a more efficient government.
The role of X and other platforms came under the spotlight in Britain this year when far-right and racist violence broke out after online posts falsely claimed that an attack in the northern English town of Southport, where three young girls were killed, was the work of an Islamist migrant.
Reuters was first to report last month that a British police force had quit posting on X, with several more reviewing their involvement.
In recent months, some British charities, health and educational establishments have said they will no longer post to X.
Britain’s government continues to post on X but does not use it for paid communications. It does, however, advertise on Meta’s Instagram and Facebook, a government source told Reuters last month.