Leeds University has become the first Russell Group university to announce they will no longer post content on the platform, however, they will keep the account live for messages.
The University put out a statement stating, 'the nature of the channel has also changed over the years and no longer aligns with our university values of collaboration, compassion, inclusivity and integrity.'
No longer aligns with our university values
Leeds University’s departure from X is part of a broader exodus of businesses, institutions, and individuals distancing themselves from the platform. This is largely noted to be because an increase in polarisation and extremist views.
Leeds University joins 60 German universities who jointly departed from X on January 10th over Musk's links to the Alternative fur Deutschland (AfD) Party.
X was bought by the controversial businessman and political figure Elon Musk, in 2022. The $44 billion investment aimed to make Twitter a 'platform for free speech around the globe', with Musk hailing free speech as a 'societal imperative for a functioning democracy.'
In 2022, Musk was met with immediate controversy upon acquisition of the platform. Accounts that were previously de-platformed were reinstated. This increased the ability to post hate-speech and extremist views on the platform. In the build-up to the 2024 US Presidential election, Musk used the platform to support Donald Trump. Musk now runs the Department of Government Efficiency under the Trump Presidency.