Another prominent publication is quitting Elon Musk's X

The Guardian has made headlines by announcing its departure from X, formerly known as Twitter. The British news publication, widely regarded for its independent journalism, cited “long-standing concerns” about X’s environment under Elon Musk’s ownership, pointing specifically to issues of far-right conspiracy theories, racist content, and recent platform policies impacting its coverage of the U.S. presidential election. The Guardian’s decision to leave X adds to a growing list of major organizations and public figures who have either abandoned or significantly scaled back their engagement on the platform since Musk’s takeover in 2022.

Musk’s leadership has been controversial, with critics pointing to his visible support of Donald Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign as an example of politicization on the platform. According to The Guardian, Musk contributed millions to pro-Trump initiatives, leveraging X as a tool to mobilize voters in crucial battleground states through tech-driven campaigning. This close association with a specific political ideology has alarmed many users and brands, who are now wary of maintaining a presence on a platform increasingly aligned with polarizing content.

The Guardian’s withdrawal signals an ongoing and intensifying trend: companies, news outlets, and public institutions across various sectors are reassessing their involvement with X. NPR, a prominent U.S. public broadcaster, left the platform after Musk’s introduction of “state-affiliated media” labels, which NPR argued misrepresented its editorial independence. Although X eventually removed the labels from some media outlets following backlash, the initial designation prompted other reputable publications, like Canada’s CBC and the BBC, to reassess their ties to the platform.

This discontent isn’t limited to media organizations. Various local government bodies and public institutions, particularly in the U.K. and Australia, have also distanced themselves from X. For instance, Devon County Council halted its activity on X after facing high volumes of daily abuse and disinformation. Similarly, North Wales Police and Victoria’s Department of Families, Fairness and Housing in Australia also decided to leave, citing concerns about safety and values misalignment with the platform.

X has also seen a substantial decline in corporate advertising. According to reports, approximately half of the top 100 U.S. advertisers have halted their spending on the platform, citing concerns about their content appearing alongside hate speech and extremist posts. Disney, Apple, and Comcast are among the brands that paused advertising after Musk shared an antisemitic conspiracy theory, leading to public condemnation, legal fears and a subsequent drop in ad revenue for X. The backlash even spurred civil rights groups to call for boycotts, adding pressure to the platform’s financial standing.

This advertiser exodus is perhaps the most immediate impact on X’s viability, but it has coincided with significant drops in user engagement as well. As of February 2024, data from The Guardian showed a 23% decline in X’s usage in the U.S. since Musk took over, as many users move to alternative platforms such as Bluesky, which has recently reported gaining over 700,000 new users following Trump’s re-election as US president.

Meanwhile, academics and activists are increasingly cautious about X’s policies. Musk’s restructuring has reportedly curtailed disinformation research, raising legal fears among researchers who seek to study the platform’s spread of false information. This move has further alienated educators, environmentalists and activists, many of whom no longer feel X is a trustworthy environment for meaningful public discourse.

With high-profile exits like The Guardian, the narrative surrounding X increasingly resembles one of financial and reputational turmoil. Despite Musk’s efforts to retain creators by introducing new payouts, it remains uncertain whether such measures will be enough to counteract the losses in both user trust and advertiser support. As platforms like Bluesky emerge as preferred spaces for diverse discourse, X’s future under Musk appears increasingly uncertain, caught between controversy and an exodus of users and advertisers alike.