Guardian No Longer Posts to X

(Reuters) – British news publisher the Guardian announced on Wednesday that it will cease posting on X, citing "disturbing content" such as racism and conspiracy theories on the platform.

The left-leaning Guardian, which has 10.7 million followers on X, becomes the first large UK media company to withdraw from the platform purchased by Elon Musk in 2022.

Critics argue that Musk's laissez-faire approach has enabled the spread of misinformation and hate speech on the platform formerly known as Twitter.

In an editorial published on its website, the Guardian stated, "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." They further noted that this decision was influenced by the alarming content often found on the platform, including far-right conspiracy theories and racism.

In response, Musk tweeted about the Guardian, describing it as "irrelevant."

In related news, former CNN anchor Don Lemon also announced his departure from the Musk-owned platform in a post on X. Lemon expressed his belief that the platform no longer serves as a venue for honest debate and free speech, a stance he reiterated since being informed about Musk canceling their partnership earlier this year.

Musk, who has openly supported Donald Trump following his recent election victory, claims he is committed to defending free speech.

The scrutiny on X has increased in Britain after incidents of far-right and racist violence linked to misleading online posts. A notable event involved false claims that an attack in Southport, where three young girls were killed, was perpetrated by an Islamist migrant.

Last month, Reuters reported that a British police force had stopped posting on X, with more agencies reviewing their presence on the platform. Additionally, several British charities, health, and educational establishments disclosed they would also stop using X.

While Britain's government continues to post on X, it has opted not to use it for paid communications but does advertise on Meta's Instagram and Facebook.