 "Over 115,000 users left X as Trump wins 2024 polls; Bluesky gains traction")
After the 2024 US Presidential election confirmed Donald Trump’s win, the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) saw a significant decline in its user base, marking the largest departure since Elon Musk took ownership in 2022. Many users reportedly moved to alternatives like Bluesky, according to a report by CNN.
On the day after the elections, over 115,000 US users deactivated their X accounts. This number, reported by CNN using data from Similarweb, 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. Bluesky’s membership has surged in recent months, reaching 15 million after a substantial weekly increase of one million new users.
Research has indicated an increase in sexist language on the platform, including phrases like ‘your body, my choice’. Additionally, changes Musk previously made — such as reducing moderators, reinstating banned accounts, allowing accounts with racist or Nazi content, and modifying the verification system to benefit paying users — have negatively impacted the platform’s core advertising business.
High-profile departures included journalists like Charlie Warzel, Mara Gay from The New York Times, and former CNN anchor Don Lemon, who announced their move to Bluesky this week.
The Guardian, a major British news outlet, stated on Wednesday that it will no longer post from its official accounts on X, citing concerns about Musk’s involvement in the US Presidential elections.
In its official statement, The Guardian said that recent events in the US elections reinforced its view that X has become ‘a toxic media platform’, with Musk using it to influence political discourse.
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Musk, who was active in supporting President-elect Trump, was named as one of two heads of a newly established Department of Government Efficiency’.
The Guardian also communicated to its readers, “This is something we have been considering for a while, given the often disturbing content promoted or found on the platform, including far-right conspiracy theories and racism.”
While The Guardian journalists may continue to use X as a source for news gathering, the publication clarified that X will “now play a diminished role in promoting our work”. Although it will stop posting from official accounts, X users will still be able to share The Guardian articles.
[With agency inputs]