Why The Guardian is saying goodbye to Elon Musk’s X

The Guardian has announced it will no longer post on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, from its official editorial accounts. The decision, outlined in a statement to its readers, reflects concerns about the platform’s content, particularly the prevalence of far-right conspiracy theories and racist material.
“We wanted to let readers know that we will no longer post on any official Guardian editorial accounts on the social media site X,” the Guardian said.
“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,” it added.
The Guardian cited the “often disturbing content” on X as the main factor behind the move, signaling a shift away from the platform.
The decision to withdraw from X comes after a long period of growing discomfort with the platform, which The Guardian described as a “toxic media platform.” The publication pointed to the coverage of the US presidential election as the tipping point, stating that the event highlighted how X, under the ownership of Elon Musk, has been used to shape political discourse in ways it found troubling. It said: “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.”
 
Despite the shift, The Guardian clarified that users could still share its articles on X and that its reporters would continue using the platform for newsgathering. Additionally, the Guardian noted that it would occasionally embed X posts in its live news reporting.
The newspaper also emphasized that its official accounts on X, which have a combined following of approximately 27 million, would no longer be used for direct posting.
The Guardian, which operates over 80 accounts on X, also reassured followers that individual reporters would still be permitted to use X, within the guidelines already set by the organization.
The publication made it clear that while social media remains an important tool for reaching new audiences, the publication would now prefer readers to visit its website, theguardian.com, to access its content.