The Guardian has decided to stop posting on Elon Musk’s X, calling the platform “toxic” due to the spread of conspiracy theories and Musk’s ability to use it to influence political discussions.
The Guardian, which has over 80 accounts on X and 27 million followers, shared in a note to readers: “The downsides of being on X now outweigh the benefits. We think our resources would be better spent promoting our journalism elsewhere.”
While X users can still share Guardian articles, and journalists may still use it for gathering news, the outlet emphasized that “the recent U.S. presidential election highlighted our concerns. X is a toxic media platform, and its owner, Elon Musk, has used its reach to shape political conversations.”
This decision follows other major outlets like NPR, which left X last year after Musk labeled it “state-affiliated media.” Although Musk calls himself a “free speech absolutist,” he frequently criticizes news organizations, has claimed mainstream outlets downplayed an assassination attempt on Donald Trump, and even sued advertisers who left the platform.
The Guardian added, “Social media can be a valuable tool for reaching new readers, but X now plays a smaller role in promoting our work.”
