Britain’s left-wing Guardian newspaper has announced it will stop posting its articles on X with immediate effect, citing a rise in “far-right conspiracy theories and racism” on the platform.
A statement published on Wednesday revealed that all official Guardian editorial accounts on X are to be archived after its editors concluded that the benefits of using the site “are now outweighed by the negatives and that resources could be better used promoting our journalism elsewhere.”
“This is something we have been considering for a while given the often disturbing content promoted or found on the platform,” it noted, suggesting the platform had been taken over by those who promote far-right ideologies.
The editorial noted that Donald Trump’s victory in the U.S. presidential election earlier this month had “served only to underline what we have considered for a long time: that X is a toxic media platform and that its owner, Elon Musk, has been able to use its influence to shape political discourse.”
The newspaper explained that its reporters are still free to use the site for “news-gathering purposes,” suggesting that its employees could also be dissuaded from using the platform to promote content in addition to the archiving of its official accounts.
Despite its accusations of widescale racism and conspiracy theories, the left-wing newspaper noted that it will still reference posts on the platform throughout its reporting, citing the “nature of live news” coverage.
“We can do this because our business model does not rely on viral content tailored to the whims of the social media giants’ algorithms – instead, we’re funded directly by our readers,” the statement added.
The Guardian enjoyed a following of nearly 11 million on the platform — a considerable audience considering its claim the site now breeds racist and far-right rhetoric.
The newspaper had recently been ridiculed by X users after an internal email to employees was leaked reminding them of counseling services for those struggling to accept the return of Donald Trump to the White House.
“I know the result has been very upsetting for many colleagues,” editor-in-chief Katharine Viner told staff, encouraging those not based in the U.S. to “contact your American colleagues to offer your support.”
The newspaper’s announcement it is leaving X has also been met with ridicule with what is presumably the final post on its main account being heavily ratioed by users suggesting it can no longer handle participating in a marketplace of free speech.
Other users pointed to the fact that the Guardian had moved from a ‘Comment is Free’ philosophy on articles on its website to only permitting comments on some pieces, many of which are still heavily moderated.
On the few articles that allow for comments on the website, the following line can regularly be seen following the removal of a presumably dissenting political view: “This comment was removed by a moderator because it didn’t abide by our community standards. Replies may also be deleted.”
Despite its considerable following, the newspaper’s engagement on X is far from impressive, as highlighted by GB News’ Deputy Political Editor Tom Harwood.
“The wokies have surrendered!” commented broadcaster Piers Morgan, while Mail on Sunday commentator Dan Hodges quipped, “The madness of the self-styled progressive Left. ‘This platform is so influential, it just helped determine the U.S. election. So we’re leaving it…'”
The newspaper claims not to follow the same business model as other publications heavily reliant on advertising from viral news content, boasting that it has received large financial support from its readers.
It failed to mention, however, that it has previously received lump sums from influential high-net-worth individuals. In November 2021, Mint Press News reported how the publication had been in receipt of $12.95 million from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
