The Guardian leaves X as concerns mount over llatform’s political influence under Musk
The British newspaper group The Guardian has announced that it will stop posting on X, formerly known as Twitter, citing its concerns over the platform’s direction and calling it a “toxic media platform.” In a message to readers, The Guardian explained that the recent US presidential election “underlined” its concerns about the influence of X’s owner, Elon Musk, who the newspaper claims has used the platform to “shape political discourse.”
Mr. Musk, a vocal supporter of Donald Trump, has now been given a role in reducing government spending in Trump’s incoming administration. The Guardian clarified that while it would no longer actively post on X, readers could still share its articles on the platform, and X posts may continue to appear as embeds in its reporting on global events.
The Guardian also confirmed that its journalists would still use X “for news-gathering purposes,” though it stated that the “benefits of being on X are now outweighed by the negatives.”
“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 newspaper explained.
The decision was shared on X itself, where reactions were mixed. Some users with verified accounts criticized The Guardian, accusing it of “woke propaganda” and “virtue signaling.”
The strained relationship between The Guardian and Mr. Musk’s X is not unexpected. Musk’s alignment with Trump stands in stark contrast to The Guardian, which positions itself as “the world’s leading liberal voice.” The paper sees the US election as an opportunity to highlight its status as an independent media outlet without a billionaire owner, while asking readers for financial support. In a record-breaking response, readers donated over $1.8 million (£1.4 million) the day after the election.
New York Times media reporter Ben Mullin commented on the significance of this support, describing it as “a sign that some outlets are tapping a surge of enthusiasm for adversarial journalism post-election.”
The Guardian’s decision raises questions about whether other media outlets will follow suit in exiting X. Meanwhile, X’s rivals are experiencing rapid growth. Meta’s Threads platform has expanded, and Bluesky, founded by Twitter’s creator Jack Dorsey, recently topped the download charts in the UK and US. Bluesky has seen a surge of one million new users within a week following Trump’s election win, contributing to its global user base of 15 million.
