### The Guardian Withdraws Official Presence from Elon Musk's X Platform

In a significant move, The Guardian has revealed it will cease posting content on Elon Musk's social media platform, now known as X. The decision was announced to readers, highlighting that the drawbacks of maintaining a presence on the platform now outweigh the benefits, due in large part to the "often disturbing content" encountered there.

The Guardian, which manages over 80 accounts on X and has around 27 million followers, cited persistent concerns over content such as far-right conspiracy theories and racism. The recent US presidential election campaign served as a critical point for the news organization, solidifying its view of X as a "toxic media platform" heavily influenced by its owner, Elon Musk.

Criticism towards Musk, the world's wealthiest individual, has also come from anti-hate speech organizations and the EU, particularly after Musk's $44 billion purchase of the platform in 2022. Known for his stance as a "free speech absolutist," Musk has reinstated previously banned accounts, including those of controversial figures like conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, misogynist influencer Andrew Tate, and British far-right activist Tommy Robinson.

Despite withdrawing its official accounts, The Guardian assured readers that its articles could still be shared on X and mentioned that X posts might be embedded in its live news reports. Additionally, reporters from The Guardian will still leverage the platform for newsgathering, with no new restrictions imposed beyond the existing social media guidelines.

Expressing their stance, The Guardian remarked that while social media is a valuable tool for reaching new audiences, X's role in promoting their work has significantly diminished. They encouraged readers to visit their official website, theguardian.com, to access their journalism and support their work.

Elon Musk responded to The Guardian's announcement on X, calling the news outlet "irrelevant" and a "laboriously vile propaganda machine." This move by The Guardian follows similar actions by other entities; National Public Radio (NPR) and PBS both halted their posts on X last year after it labeled them as "state-affiliated media." More recently, the Berlin film festival, the North Wales police force, and the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital have also exited the platform, citing various reasons including hate speech and abusive commentary.