St. John's is saying goodbye to X, and nearby municipalities are considering the same

Darrell Roberts · CBC News

· Posted: Mar 19, 2025 4:30 AM EDT | Last Updated: 11 minutes ago

Newfoundland and Labrador's superior metropolis is closing its X relationship — and conscionable not due to the fact that of the platform's arguable owner.

The determination comes from a metropolis unit proposal to halt utilizing the platform, formerly known arsenic Twitter, due to the fact that of a important diminution successful engagement and challenges with misinformation, antagonistic sermon and contented moderation.

"We felt it was not the close level for america to beryllium using," St. John's Mayor Danny Breen said successful an interrogation with CBC Radio's The St. John's Morning Show connected Tuesday.

Council unanimously approved the proposal to halt utilizing the level astatine Tuesday's committee of the full meeting. The proposal volition get the last stamp of support adjacent week.

According to a unit report, Facebook is the city's astir palmy societal media communications tool, portion referral postulation from X dropped "significantly" successful 2024. Staff are besides looking astatine Bluesky, a newer level akin to X, arsenic a imaginable aboriginal communications tool.

The determination comes a fewer weeks aft assembly voted successful favour of Deputy Mayor Sheilagh O'Leary's question directing unit to look astatine options to respond to U.S. tariffs, including shutting down the city's X account.

At the time, O'Leary pointed to Elon Musk's ties to the Trump administration, and his enactment for Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany party. Musk bought X successful 2022.

"For me, [it] was looking astatine the accusation that we have, looking astatine the benignant of sermon that's happening connected that site," said Breen. "It's not thing that we consciousness we request to beryllium connected close now. I don't wage overmuch attraction to Elon Musk."

Paradise, Mount Pearl reviewing societal media platforms

The city's determination comes aft akin moves made by different nationalist bodies, similar Newfoundland and Labrador Public Libraries.

Other cities crossed the state have, oregon are considering, closing their X accounts. 

At slightest 2 St. John's-area municipalities are besides reconsidering their societal media platforms.

In an email, Paradise spokesperson Diane Keough said municipality assembly is considering suspending day-to-day usage of X, but could support the town's relationship for emergencies.

"Staff person noticed a dependable diminution successful the engagement connected X. In addition, the code and contented of the level person go much antagonistic and polarizing," said Keough.

Mount Pearl spokesperson Kerri Hodder said unit determination are besides reviewing the city's societal media channels, and volition marque a proposal to assembly successful the coming weeks.

Meanwhile, Portugal Cove-St. Philip's spokesperson Laura Barnes said the municipality is keeping its X account, but has started utilizing Bluesky arsenic well.

Download our free CBC News app to motion up for propulsion alerts for CBC Newfoundland and Labrador. Sign up for our daily headlines newsletter here. Click here to sojourn our landing page.