As Elon Musk's social media platform, X (formerly Twitter), struggles to retain users in key markets, several British police forces are scaling back their presence on the platform, with one force

abandoning it altogether due to concerns over its role in promoting extremist views.

This summer, X was used to spread disinformation that led to riots across Britain, and it has reinstated accounts previously banned for extremist content. Critics argue that Musk’s hands-off approach has allowed the platform to become a breeding ground for hate speech and misinformation.

Reuters reached out to all 45 territorial police forces and British Transport Police. Of the 33 forces that responded, 10—responsible for policing nearly 13 million people—said they were actively reviewing their use of X, while 13 others reported frequent reviews of their social media platforms.

For over a decade, X has been a key communication tool for the British government, public services, and even the royal family, providing a fast and effective way to alert the public to emergencies, missing persons, and road closures. However, six of the responding forces said they were reducing their presence on X to just one or two accounts. North Wales Police, serving nearly 700,000 residents, stopped using the platform entirely in August, citing inconsistencies with their values.

"We felt that the platform was no longer consistent with our values and therefore we have withdrawn our use of it," said Chief Constable Amanda Blakeman. Gwent Police in Wales is also reviewing its use of X, questioning whether it remains an appropriate platform to reach their communities. Meanwhile, West Yorkshire Police expressed concerns about whether X can still help them build trust with the public.

Disinformation and Riots Spark Scrutiny of X

The role of X in spreading disinformation came under scrutiny in Britain following the summer riots, which erupted after false claims online suggested that an Islamist migrant was responsible for the stabbing deaths of three girls in Southport. The spread of these false claims fueled far-right violence and unrest in multiple cities.

Musk himself commented on the unrest, stating on X that "civil war" was inevitable. Notably, anti-Muslim activist Tommy Robinson thanked Musk for reinstating his account and allowing him to counter what he called "mainstream media lies and propaganda."

Senior police officials have dismissed claims of "two-tier policing," where right-wing protesters are punished more harshly than ethnic minority or left-wing demonstrators. However, the spread of such rhetoric has raised concerns about the safety of police officers and the potential impact on public order.

While none of the police forces linked their reviews directly to the riots, experts suggest that the rise in hate speech and disinformation, alongside Musk’s actions, is driving organizations to reconsider their presence on the platform. Paul Reilly, a communications expert at the University of Glasgow, noted, "Many users have left X in response to the volumes of hate speech, disinformation, and of course, Elon Musk's use of it too."

Charities, Health Services, and Education Bodies Exit X

Beyond the police, a number of British charities, health services, and educational institutions have also reduced or ended their use of X. Of the 32 ambulance and fire services surveyed, nine said they had actively reviewed their presence on the platform. England's North East Ambulance Service stopped posting to X in July.

Some organizations within the emergency services are now questioning whether X's benefits still outweigh the potential risks of association with the platform, especially as other public sector bodies are moving to alternative platforms.

Musk has defended his approach as a stand for freedom of speech, likening Britain's anti-hate-speech laws to Soviet-era censorship. However, new online safety laws are set to require tech companies to remove illegal content, including hate speech, from their platforms.

According to digital analytics company Similarweb, the number of X app users in Britain dropped by 17.7% in September 2023 compared to the previous year, falling from 15 million two years ago to 10.4 million. Similarweb also reported a 7.9% drop in users in the United States over the same period.

While the British government continues to post on X, it has stopped using the platform for paid communications, opting instead to advertise on Meta platforms such as Instagram and Facebook.

Adam Hadley, executive director of the U.N.-backed Tech Against Terrorism initiative, emphasized the importance of careful platform selection for authorities: "Platforms are kind of political: they have identities, and therefore it's important where they post." Photo by Postdlf, Wikimedia commons.