UK Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy announced she is leaving the social media platform X and that her department will stop using it [1].
The move signals a growing rift between the British government and the platform's current moderation policies. By withdrawing an entire government department from the service, Nandy is highlighting the perceived incompatibility of the platform with official state communication and democratic standards.
Nandy said the Department for Culture, Media and Sport will cease operations on the site due to the prevalence of abuse and misinformation [1, 3]. She said the platform "now favours abuse and misinformation over meaningful debate" [4].
This decision marks the second UK government department to withdraw from X [2]. The secretary said the environment on the platform has become detrimental to the public square, stating that "the platform is not healthy for democracy" [1].
Nandy also cited the influence of far-right content, which she said fuels violence and division [1]. The move comes as officials weigh the risks of using tools that may amplify harmful content over verified information.
"I've decided to leave this platform and my department will too," Nandy said [5].
The departure follows a period of increased scrutiny regarding how X handles hate speech and the spread of unverified claims. Nandy's exit emphasizes a shift toward platforms that the UK government deems safer for official discourse, and public engagement.
“The platform is not healthy for democracy.”
The withdrawal of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport follows a pattern of institutional distrust in X's moderation. As the second UK government department to leave the platform, this move suggests a systemic shift in how the British state views the platform's utility for public service. It indicates that the perceived risks of misinformation and far-right volatility now outweigh the benefits of the platform's reach for government outreach.
