British universities and other institutions of higher learning are joining the British institutions’ exit from Elon Musk‘s “X” platform, using the argument that it is allegedly “a toxic social network that spreads misinformation”.
Research by Reuters showed that a number of universities have either minimized their use of “X” or dropped out entirely following the number of academics leaving the platform.
In recent days, Elon Musk has called for the jailing of Prime Minister Keir Starmer and the release of activist Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, co-founder of the English Defence League and known as Tommy Robinson.
Reuters monitored the X accounts of 150 universities , their colleges and schools of music and performing arts and contacted those with few or no postings in recent months.
“London Business School is constantly looking at its communication networks and is constantly deciding which ones to use based on the level of effective audience response,” LBS, one of the world’s top business schools, said in response to a Reuters question.
LBS’s last post to its 182,000 followers on X was last September.
Reuters reported in October that British police departments have abandoned X or cut back on its use.
At least 7 of Cambridge University’s 31 colleges have stopped posting on X.
The University of Cambridge told Reuters it continues to use X along with other communication channels.
At Oxford, Merton College has deleted its X account and did not respond to a request for comment.
The University of East Anglia said that follower response to its X account had plummeted by 80%.
X did not respond to a Reuters request for comment.
Falmouth University posted its last post on X in September, while Plymouth Marjon University announced it is no longer using Elon Musk’s platform.
London Metropolitan University said it was no longer actively posting on X citing diminishing response.
Buckinghamshire New University said that X “is no longer a place where we wish to encourage conversations with our university”.
The Royal Northern College of Music said it was “consciously directing its energy elsewhere”, while Trinity Lab, London’s performing arts school, deleted its X account.
The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama’s last post on X dates back to last August.
This actions, however, don’t seem to affect X’s reach as it is still the most popular social media platform.
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