Culture Secretary and Department Exit X Platform
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has declared that she and her department will be leaving Elon Musk's social media platform, X.
In what appears to be her final post on X, Nandy explained her decision, stating the platform "isn't healthy for our democracy or our communities and I don't want to support it."
"A platform originally designed for free speech and expression now favours abuse and misinformation over meaningful debate," she wrote.
This move makes the culture department the second government department to cease using X, following the attorney general's office. Additionally, several Members of Parliament (MPs) left the platform earlier this year amid reports that its AI tool was being employed to generate sexualised images.
Nandy confirmed she will continue to engage on other social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
Attorney General's Office and Concerns Over Platform Content
Attorney General Lord Hermer defended his office's decision to ban posting on X last month. Addressing MPs, he remarked that the platform "constantly descends to racism and misogyny" and that his department "can do better."
"I can understand why other departments feel they need to be on the pitch engaging with people, but that is not where the attorney general's office needs to be," Lord Hermer told the Justice Committee in June.
"For the work that I can do, I can engage with people in serious debate, detailed debate, respectful debate, without being on a platform that constantly descends to racism and misogyny."
Political Reactions and Controversies Surrounding X
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has accused Elon Musk of using X to "whip up division" in the United Kingdom following the murder of student Henry Nowak last month.
Violent protests erupted in Southampton after bodycam footage was released showing police handcuffing 18-year-old Nowak as he lay dying. The killer, Vickrum Digwa, had claimed to be the victim of a racist attack.
The footage capturing Nowak's final moments has sparked significant political reactions across the UK. Concurrently, Musk criticized the police's treatment of the teenager.
Several MPs, including Liberal Democrats Layla Moran and Vikki Slade, as well as Labour's Darren Paffey, left X after reports emerged that the Grok AI tool was being used to create sexualised images, including those involving children.
X has previously stated:
"Anyone using or prompting Grok to make illegal content will suffer the same consequences as if they upload illegal content."
