Department of Families, Fairness and Housing, Victoria, Australia Media One of the most prominent departures, and the one that arguably made other media brands sit up and take notice was NPR. In April 2023, the US public broadcaster declared it was leaving the platform due to concerns over X’s new “state-affiliated media” label, which it argued misrepresented its independence and credibility. X later removed the tags following an outcry from several news organisations, ranging from the BBC to Canada’s CBC. It also dropped the "China state-affiliated media" tag on the accounts of Xinhua News as well as of journalists associated with government-backed publications, despite those predating Musk. Government and law enforcement Alongside media brands, a number of government departments and law enforcement agencies have also chosen to walk away from X. Here in the UK, organisations that have ditched the site include Devon County Council, which hasn’t posted on the site since January 2024, citing daily abuse, disinformation and high costs Last October, North Wales Police announced it had quit the platform, saying it was “no longer consistent” with its values. In Australia, Victoria’s Department of Families, Fairness and Housing quit X in March 2024, stating that it was no longer safe and productive for community engagement. Retail In the US, a number of Minnesota-based companies have stopped using X. They include Best Buy, Target, 3M, UnitedHealth Group and Magers & Quinn Booksellers, among others. In the fashion industry, Balenciaga became one of the first major brands to leave X following Musk’s acquisition of the platform. Unlike some other brands that kept their X accounts but went silent, Balenciaga has completely deleted its presence. Advertisers Adding to the pressure on X and its billionaire owner, multiple companies previously halted their advertising on the platform amid concerns over antisemitism and hate speech. Brands such as Disney, Apple, Paramount and Comcast and IBM paused their ads in December 2023 after they were found running alongside extremist content, including pro-Nazi posts. However, they resumed ad spend last year. AdWeek reported in November 2024 that between January and September 2024 they spent less than $3.3 million on the site, 98 per cent less than the $170 million they spent during the same period. The backlash escalated following Mr Musk's endorsement of an antisemitic conspiracy theory, prompting censure from civil rights groups and leading to a significant advertiser exodus. As a result, X's advertising revenue plummeted. NPR reported in November 2022 that at least 50 of the top 100 US advertisers had halted their ad spending on the platform. However, analysts in March predicted X would generate ad sales of $1.3 billion in the US this year, 17.5 per cent more than in 2024. MORE ABOUT