Free Press Unlimited deletes account on X
Press freedom organisation Free Press Unlimited will delete its account on the messaging platform X (formerly Twitter) as of December 1. The organisation, which advocates for press freedom and journalist safety, no longer wishes to be part of a social medium that amplifies hate speech and disinformation.
Moreover, X is led by Elon Musk, who uses the platform for personal gain and political influence through direct involvement.
According to Free Press Unlimited executive director Ruth Kronenburg, leaving X is a decision of principle. ‘This is in line with our values and mission. We want to contribute to a safer and more responsible digital environment for journalists and the wider public by moving to a platform, Bluesky, that better supports our principles. In addition, we continue to actively advocate for the enforcement of European regulations that should lead to more transparency on the moderation and prioritisation of information by platforms and encourage effective action against the spread of disinformation and harmful content.’
Since Musk’s takeover and rebranding of Twitter as X, extreme voices promoting violence, misogyny, and discrimination have gained dominance.
In recent months, millions of users have already abandoned X. Since Musk’s takeover and rebranding of Twitter as X, extreme voices promoting violence, misogyny, and discrimination have gained dominance. Free Press Unlimited urges other organisations dedicated to press freedom and human rights to follow suit and leave X.
In addition, FPU calls on the supervisor of the Authority Consumer Market (ACM) on behalf of the Dutch parliament and the European Commission to enforce the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA) strictly. X is subject to these regulations as it has over 45 million users in the EU. The rules are designed to enhance transparency, accountability, and safety, including the swift detection, assessment, and removal of illegal content.
Since the takeover, Musk has drastically reduced moderation efforts, severely limiting the platform’s ability to monitor illegal content. Under the DSA, X must also provide transparency regarding algorithm usage. The EU has already concluded that X fails to meet these requirements. Additionally, the EU has informed Musk that X’s efforts to combat disinformation are insufficient. Another key measure under the DSA concerns privacy protection and advertising practices, areas where the EU has demanded compliance from X.
