The Guardian quits Elon Musk’s X social media platform | Science,

The Guardian has quit the social media platform X.

The news organisation announced its decision on Wednesday to stop posting from official editorial accounts on the platform, formerly known as Twitter.

“We think that the benefits of being on X are now outweighed by the negatives and that resources could be better used promoting our journalism elsewhere,” the outlet said in a statement.

It comes as X owner Elon Musk has been confirmed as the co-lead of a new department of government efficiency in the incoming Donald Trump administration.

The Guardian said that it had been considering the decision for a while, citing “the often disturbing content promoted or found on the platform, including far-right conspiracy theories and racism.”

The media organisation, which has more than 80 accounts on X with approximately 27 million followers, has now updated its main accounts to say they have been “archived”.

Sky News reported earlier this year on far-right misinformation on X in the aftermath of the Southport stabbings.

The Guardian said the recent US election underlined the issue, claiming it further proved that Mr Musk was using the site to shape political discourse.

Reporters for the site will still be able to use the platform, with one of The Guardian’s most prominent journalists, political editor Pippa Crerar, saying she was “staying put – for now”.

In response, Mr Musk said: “They are a laboriously vile propaganda machine”.

Musk rocket-boosted Trump – but will it all end with a bang?