The Guardian cuts ties with X

The Guardian cuts ties with X

In a significant shift in its social media strategy, The Guardian has announced that it will no longer post on its official editorial accounts on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.

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In a statement to readers, the publication explained that the benefits of maintaining an active presence on X have been outweighed by the drawbacks, particularly given the rise in disturbing content and the platform’s shifting role in political discourse.

“Resources could be better used promoting our journalism elsewhere,” the publication said. This decision reflects an increasing unease with the platform’s environment under its current ownership by Elon Musk. Specifically, The Guardian cited concerns over the amplification of far-right conspiracy theories and racist content, which it says have become prevalent on X.

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Reinforced by US politics

The statement revealed that The Guardian had been considering stepping away from the platform for some time. Recent political events, including the start of the 2024 US presidential election campaign, underscored concerns that X has become a polarised and often toxic space where misinformation and radical viewpoints find traction. The platform’s influence, The Guardian believes, is now being used to shape political discourse in ways that conflict with the values it upholds.

However, the publication emphasised that while it will no longer post on X through its official accounts, its journalists are still free to use the platform for newsgathering purposes and readers are still able to post links to its stories. Additionally, X content may still appear on The Guardian’s website within articles when it is relevant to live news stories.