The Guardian, Don Lemon quit X in protest
The Guardian, a British, left-leaning news outlet, and former CNN anchor Don Lemon separately announced that they will no longer be posting on X.
On Wednesday morning, the newspaper published an article explaining its reasoning behind leaving the social media site. According to the Guardian, the “benefits” of posting on the platform no longer outweigh the so-called “negatives,” noting that its resources would be better spent elsewhere.
‘They are irrelevant.’
The Guardian blamed “disturbing content” on X, citing “far-right conspiracy theories and racism.”
“The U.S. presidential election campaign served only to underline what we have considered for a long time: that X is a toxic media platform and that its owner, Elon Musk, has been able to use its influence to shape political discourse,” the news outlet wrote.
While the Guardian stated that it will no longer post on the site, it noted that its reporters will continue using X for “news-gathering purposes.”
“X now plays a diminished role in promoting our work,” the newspaper declared, adding that its “business model does not rely on viral content tailored to the whims of the social media giants’ algorithms.”
At the bottom of its article, the Guardian requested donations from readers to help it “stand up to four more years of Donald Trump.”
Former CNN host Don Lemon posted a similar farewell message on his X account.
After Lemon was fired by the network last year, he tried to negotiate an exclusive content partnership with Musk on X to start his new independent show. The deal collapsed after Lemon made excessive contract demands and conducted an awkward interview with Musk, pushing for censorship on the platform.
Lemon told his X followers on Wednesday morning, “It’s time for me to leave the platform.”
He claimed that he previously viewed X as “a place for honest debate and discussion, transparency, and free speech.”
“But I now feel it does not serve that purpose,” Lemon remarked.
“In addition, starting this Friday, November 15, X is implementing new terms of service, which among other things states that ‘All disputes … be brought exclusively in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas or state courts located in Tarrant County, Texas,” he continued.
He cited a Washington Post article that claimed the platform’s new terms of service “ensure[] that such lawsuits will be heard in courthouses that are a hub for conservatives, which experts say could make it easier for X to shield itself from litigation and punish critics.”
“I think that speaks for itself,” Lemon declared.
X users annihilated both the Guardian and Lemon in the comments of their departure announcement posts.
In response to the Guardian’s decision to leave, Musk responded, “They are irrelevant.”
Multiple X users mocked the news outlet for announcing its departure from the platform.
Influencer DC Draino, whose real name is Rogan O’Handley, told Lemon that “nobody cares” that he will no longer be on X.
Conservative filmmaker Robby Starbuck replied to Lemon, stating, “I give it one month before you can’t help yourself and come back on here.”
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