Elon Musk rebranded Twitter as X [Royal Academy]

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A SWATHE of organ­isations have called time on using X – the social media platform owned by billionaire Elon Musk – after they said it did not align with their values.

The controversial tech owner bought the platform formerly known as Twitter in 2022, but critics say it has become a forum for lies, discord, racism and conspiracy theories.

Mr Musk, meanwhile, this week risked further condemnation after posting a “Free Tommy Robinson” message, criticising Sir Keir Starmer’s handling of the grooming gang scandal and wading into who he thought should run the Reform UK party.

Some X users have been left wondering if to keep on posting feels like indirectly supporting Mr Musk by widening the reach and influence of his network.

The Working Men’s College in Crowndale Road has announced it would no longer be posting on X, while the Castlehaven Community Association also announced it had “taken a break”.

Charity Camden Giving is also moving away from the platform, while the Bloomsbury Festival is discussing the issue at board level and is expected to also use other ways to spread its message in 2025.
Camden Council, however, said it has no plans to leave X.

The WMC, founded in 1854, told the New Journal it had left X and that it had been carefully studying the role of all social media platforms in “promoting constructive dialogue and truth”.

The WMC in Crowndale Road

Principal Dipa Ganguli said: “We believe that the current environment on Twitter/X no longer aligns with our values due to the rise in misinformation, divisive ideologies, and inflammatory content.

“This content often fosters societal discord and stands in contrast to the college’s mission of promoting unity, truth, and inclusive communities.”

Around 1.7 million UK users made the same decision in 2024. WMC has set up an account on a similar platform known as BlueSky.

The college added it was focusing on using platforms that “better align with its values”, including Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.

The WMC’s head of media Jenny Tyler said: “We encourage all our partners, fellow educational institutions, learners, supporters, and friends to consider the role they play in creating and supporting responsible digital spaces. Together, we can ensure social media is used as a tool for positive change.”

Natasha Friend from Camden Giving

Camden Giving’s chief executive Natasha Friend said: “We’ve been chatting about it for a while, but finally getting around to it. All social media has flaws and benefits, but a platform that’s used by it’s owner to make a women’s safety campaigner even more unsafe, is not a place where Camden Giving needs to be.”

Her views were echoed by Castlehaven’s chief executive Tricia Richards, who added: “In 2023 the Castlehaven Community Association took the decision to stop using X (Twitter) as one of our social media platforms, due to its change in policies, algorithms, and its owner.

“Whilst this was a risky decision where we could have lost many loyal followers and connections, we took the risk as we did not want our charity to be targeted by trolls or negative organisations that encourage fake news and hate crime towards vulnerable individuals, especially those we work with such as the LGBTIQ+ and BAME communities and those accessing our food bank.

“Since 2023 we have been using mainly LinkedIn, Instagram, Nextdoor and Facebook to reach our online community.”

Tricia Richards

She added: “Since leaving X we haven’t missed it or lost many followers either, many migrated over to our other social media sites to continue to follow us. So it was a successful decision for our charity, and I personally refuse to use X and I haven’t missed it at all.”

X has changed the nature of the site by requiring people to pay monthly or annual subscriptions to ensure that posts actually get seen.

Those who don’t pay find they have a much smaller reach than the original days of Twitter. You can tell who has definitely paid by the blue tick emblem, as seen on Councillor Eddie Hanson and former councillor Phil Rosenberg’s accounts.

A council spokesman confirmed it would be remaining on Mr Musk’s site. They added: “There are no current plans to leave X. Many Camden residents use X to contact us and it is one of the ways we communicate information to our residents.

“We do, however, understand and share the widely discussed concerns about X and we urge its owners and operators to do more to improve the platform.”

Prime minister Sir Keir Starmer, the Holborn and St Pancras MP, and the Labour Party also remain X users.

But he said this week that Mr Musk, a multi-billionaire, had been spreading “lies and misinformation”, and “amplify­ing what the far right are saying for attention.”