Member-only story
The Guardian News Paper Leaves the Social Media X and Its 10.7 Million Followers
On November 13, The Guardian became the first large UK Media company to leave and abandon its 10.7 million followers on the giant social media platform due to the growth of conspiracy theories and racism on the platform, according to reporting conducted by REUTERS.
(Here is my behind the paywall link.)
The Guardian is not the only company left on X since billionaire Elon Musk’s new leadership and his takeover of X, which used to be known as Twitter.
It is not just the Guardian that has left X; they are joined by Disney, which had withdrawn its advertisement from X. CNBC added its parent company, Comcast, which also owns NBC Universal, and entertainment firm Warner Bros., which were no longer advertising on the platform.
Not just media companies but also normal people left X on November 6, 2024, the day after the elections. Over 115,000 US users deactivated their X accounts.
CNN reported this number using data from Similarweb.
This number only includes deactivations through the platform’s website and does not account for mobile app deactivations.
This exodus aligns with Musk’s active role in the elections.
Even with these losses, X is not so much a business but a means for Musk’s and Trump’s American supporters to voice their views without being sensed by the traditional media.
