News Outlets Quit Elon Musk's X Over Concerns of Toxicity and Disinformation

Three major news outlets, including Sweden’s Dagens Nyheter (DN), Britain’s The Guardian, and Spain’s La Vanguardia, have announced their decision to stop publishing content on X, formerly known as Twitter. The media organizations cited increasing concerns over the platform’s "harsh and extreme" environment under the ownership of Elon Musk, a prominent ally of president-elect Donald Trump.

Concerns Over Platform Climate

The left-liberal Dagens Nyheter became the latest outlet to abandon the platform on Friday. Editor-in-chief Peter Wolodarski stated, “Since Elon Musk took over, the platform has increasingly merged with his and Donald Trump’s political ambitions.” This follows similar moves earlier in the week by The Guardian, which referred to X as "toxic," and La Vanguardia, which described it as a "disinformation network."

Musk, known for his roles at Tesla and SpaceX, acquired Twitter in 2022 with promises of promoting free speech. However, his drastic reduction in content moderation has drawn criticism for allowing far-right conspiracy theories and racism to thrive on the platform. The situation has intensified following Musk's active support for Trump’s presidential campaign and his appointment to a Trump administration role.

A Shift in Media Strategy

For years, news outlets relied on Twitter to connect with audiences and build their brands. However, the symbiotic relationship appears to have turned sour. Mathew Ingram, former chief digital writer for the Columbia Journalism Review, explained, “Many publishers outsourced reader engagement to platforms like Twitter, and they are now reaping what they sowed.”

The decision to leave X reflects a broader trend of media organizations reassessing their dependence on social platforms. While some outlets fear losing readership, studies suggest the impact may be minimal. A 2023 report from the Nieman Foundation found that NPR’s exit from Twitter had negligible effects on audience engagement.

The Rise of Alternatives

The departure of major news outlets has opened opportunities for alternative platforms like Bluesky, a decentralized social media service offering similar features to X. Bluesky reported gaining one million new subscribers within 24 hours, though its user base remains significantly smaller compared to X.

Despite this, experts argue there are no true alternatives to what X offers today. Vincent Berthier of Reporters Without Borders remarked, “Musk may represent the radical face of this informational nightmare, but the problem goes much deeper.” He called the exodus of media outlets “a symptom of the failure of democracies to regulate platforms.”