The Guardian Withdraws from Elon Musk’s Platform, Citing “Toxic Media Environment”

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LONDON: In a significant shift, The Guardian announced on Wednesday that it will no longer publish content from its official accounts on Elon Musk’s social media platform, X, citing concerns over “toxic” content and harmful political discourse. The British newspaper, which has amassed nearly 11 million followers on X, stated that it would better utilize its resources by promoting journalism on other platforms.

The Guardian expressed apprehension over the increasing prevalence of disturbing content on X, including far-right conspiracy theories and racist material. A spokesperson for the left-leaning publication noted that the decision had been under consideration for some time, with the recent U.S. presidential election campaign underscoring concerns about X's impact on shaping political narratives.

Though the newspaper’s official X handle, @guardian, remains accessible, it has been archived with a message directing users to its website. The Guardian clarified that while it will no longer post from its official accounts, X users can still share its content, and the platform may occasionally be embedded in articles for live news reporting purposes.

This departure marks a notable response from a major media entity against what it sees as a hostile environment on X, highlighting broader debates over social media’s role in political and social discourse.