Why I Closed My X (Twitter) Account

X (f.k.a. Twitter) is an online platform that provides the opportunity to engage with others. Whether it is for social, political, commercial or entertainment purposes, it was a legitimate social network.

When Elon Musk purchased Twitter and stated that he wanted to make it more “open” (i.e.: unmoderated), red flags went up in my mind. 

Since then X has evolved into a free-for-all with no guardrails to maintain legitimate dialogue, all in the name of “free speech.”

The lack of content moderation has led the social media platform to become the unfiltered venue for racists, homophobes, anti-Semites, Islamophobes, misogynists and anyone else with a hatred of others.

For this reason, I closed my X account this week. Solutions for Growth will no longer be managing client X accounts or ads.

The rationale behind this decision is the following analogy. If you were considering participating in a trade show or conference and the venue had swastika banners hanging from its walls, burning crosses at the entrance and hecklers harassing women, would you attend, and, would you pay to sponsor a booth? Could Solutions for Growth in good faith advise its clients to participate and take part in funding that conference?

My reply is a resounding “no” because X is analogous to an online conference. 

Because X’s CEO continues to allow reprehensible behavior on this platform, as a decent and ethical human being, I’ve decided to completely remove myself and my company from X.

There are other social media networks where, although there is a presence of hatred, those networks do attempt to remove or limit those posts. TikTok has come under fire for its limited content moderation, but they appear to recognize the issue and is looking to address the issue (if not fixed, that’s another social network I’ll be leaving).

If you were considering leaving X, perhaps these thoughts help you move forward with that decision. If you are part of a marketing organization, consider raising the issue with your clients. If you are part of online groups, start a conversation about dropping X.

I believe in respecting other’s opinions, and the need for free speech. But not when it crosses the line into danger and hate. I encourage you to give thought to what you can do to help disconnect (and eliminate?) the world’s largest online venue of hatred.