Why leaving X can be a tricky decision for companies

On March 21, 2006, Twitter founder Jack Dorsey published the first tweet in history: "Just setting up my twttr." This marked the birth of a brand new social platform and heralded the beginning of a new era of social media interaction.

Unlike other social media sites at the time, such as MySpace or Facebook, Twitter allowed users to interact without the other party's approval, and therefore quickly gained the support of celebrities. Major companies also flocked to the platform, hoping to use it to get closer to their customers. "If you're a brand looking to participate in any cultural moment, Twitter is a great option," said Alex Wilson, senior strategist at marketing agency Pitch.

On June 4, 2010, SpaceX owner Elon Musk first logged into Twitter and tweeted: "Please ignore prior tweets, as that was someone pretending to be me :) This is actually me." However, 12 years later, he acquired the platform for $44 billion, reshaped the algorithm, restored banned accounts, redefined the "freedom of speech" policy, and eventually renamed it X.

After Musk took over X, many companies began to choose to leave the platform, which was called the "Great X Exit." Their main concern was the content that appeared next to their posts, which users could screenshot and share. For example, research by the Institute for Strategic Dialogue showed that the number of anti-Semitic posts on X doubled between June 2022 and February 2023.

The shift in the tone of the X platform and the controversy surrounding its owner prompted some companies to leave the platform, while others withdrew advertising. In late 2023, companies including Apple, IBM and Disney suspended advertising on the platform. In addition, brands such as Unilever and Mars were sued by Musk, accusing them of illegally colluding to boycott the site.

"Overall, Twitter's influence is waning globally," Alex Wilson said. "It's been a long time since a client has said to us, 'Twitter is fun, exciting, we want to get into that space.' Unless your target audience is a specific political group or sports fans - football is still popular on Twitter - it's hard to see the value."

German football team FC St Pauli has posted more than 60,000 posts on Twitter since 2013, accumulating nearly 250,000 followers. But less than 10 days after news of Trump's return to the White House was confirmed, the club issued a statement saying: "You can find our statement about saying goodbye to X on BlueSky. Welcome to follow us there. We're leaving." Club spokesman Patrick Gensing said: "We've been discussing this decision for a year. We mainly post content against hate, with a lot about diversity, anti-racism and anti-sexism." He added: "We see attacks, anti-Semitism and conspiracy theories on X."

Mr. Gensing does not agree with the view that these posts can be defended by freedom of speech. He stressed: "We don't think racism is freedom of speech." One of the companies that recently exited the X platform is BMW UK. In late January, the company announced that it would no longer post on X and would direct users to its posts on Facebook and Instagram.

While there is no exact way to count how many brands have chosen to leave or reduce posting on X, Musk claimed last year that X has 600 million monthly active users and said the platform has always adhered to the purpose of "serving public conversation." Goran Calic, a visiting scholar at Harvard Business School, said that Musk "has made it clear that X is willing to make trade-offs compared to Twitter, taking a more open and less regulated approach."

However, leaving the X platform may have a negative impact on organizations and their relationships with customers. Mr. Calic pointed out: "The impact of users leaving depends on who is leaving and why they are leaving. Local government publishing news is of great value to the network. If such accounts leave, it may harm the platform and its users. Users who protest by leaving should weigh the broader social impact of staying versus exiting."

For some organizations that need to publish information quickly, X still has value that other competitors cannot offer. Andrew Cassidy, Senior Director of Digital Strategy and Engagement at the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), said: "For us, there is still value in X. We strive to stay in sync with our passengers. When people @MBTA on Twitter, they can immediately provide clear answers. Our broadcast system is fully tied to our X account, but we still handle customer service issues on other platforms."

Mr. Cassidy emphasized: "Our focus is on providing customer service to as many passengers as possible. In the current situation, X still meets this need." Mr. Gensing believes that not being present on social media in 2025 is "unimaginable." He concluded: "We must look critically at all platforms, not just X. The companies behind the platforms set the rules of the game, and they can change these rules at any time."