Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo announced her departure from the X platform, stating that it has become a “gigantic global sewer” that she no longer wishes to be associated with due to fostering division.
Ms. Hidalgo mentioned that although X initially made information accessible to a large audience, it has now transformed into “an impressive tool for destroying our democracies.”
She took a swipe at owner Elon Musk, without directly naming him, accusing him of utilizing content moderation to exacerbate societal rifts and prioritizing corporate interests over liberal causes such as action on climate change.
“This platform and its owner intentionally exacerbates tensions and conflicts,” Ms. Hidalgo wrote. “We must not deceive ourselves. We are dealing here with an utterly clear political project to push aside democracy and its values in favor of powerful private interests.”
Ms. Hidalgo joins a list of individuals criticizing Mr. Musk’s management of the influential social media platform. Mr. Musk recently attracted criticism from advertisers, the media, and the White House after expressing agreement with a post that accused certain Jewish communities of conspiring to spread “hatred against Whites.”
In response, several prominent advertisers, including Disney and Paramount, have suspended their ads on X.
Mr. Musk has refuted all allegations of being antisemitic, stating that “nothing could be further from the truth.”
He has also promoted conspiracy theories related to the Russia-Ukraine war, the attack on Paul Pelosi, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the long-debunked “Pizzagate” controversy alleging a child sex-trafficking operation at a D.C.-area pizza restaurant.
Ms. Hidalgo, who has been serving as mayor of Paris since 2014, cited a recent content-control report that ranked France top in Europe for violent and illicit content on the platform.
“This medium has become a gigantic global sewer, and we should continue to wade into it?” she questioned.
The platform’s approach to content moderation has continued to stir controversy since Mr. Musk took over X late last year. The platform is fighting back by suing Media Matters after the watchdog published a report revealing advertising alongside extremist posts.
Ms. Hidalgo expressed her firm stance, saying, “We see it every day: Twitter hinders debate, the quest for truth, and the serene and constructive dialogue needed between human beings. With its thousands of anonymous accounts and its troll farms, life on Twitter is the exact opposite of democratic life. I refuse to endorse this evil scheme.”
• Vaughn Cockayne contributed to this story.
