The North East Ambulance Service has become the latest account holder to join the exodus from X saying the platform allows the "perpetuation of unacceptable and offensive content".
The service made the announcement with a post on X formerly known as Twitter, saying: "We have suspended this account because the X platform is no longer consistent with our values as an NHS emergency service.
"You can continue to follow North East Ambulance Service on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn."
Explaining the decision further, Mark Cotton, assistant director of communications & engagement at North East Ambulance Service said: “We have taken the decision to suspend all our corporate accounts on X.
“We feel strongly that the failure to police content on X allows the perpetuation of unacceptable and offensive content, which has seen a sharp rise in hate speech and misinformation that is not consistent with our values.
“We expect our staff to uphold our values and standards when representing our service and equally we should uphold those same values and standards when using social media.
“Social media platforms can be contentions, but we will continue to use Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn where we have a large following which is growing, and we will seek alternatives to X. But it was important for us to show our patients, staff and future workforce that NEAS is a safe, welcoming and rewarding organisation.”
We have suspended this account because the X platform is no longer consistent with our values as an NHS emergency service. You can continue to follow North East Ambulance Service on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.
— North East Ambulance Service (@NEAmbulance) August 16, 2024
If you need to contact us directly, email… pic.twitter.com/fIoEB7YuUg
According to a recent survey by Savanta, three in 10 users of X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, say they are considering leaving the site, according to research from Savanta.
The findings, based on online interviews with 2,237 UK adults aged 18 and over, between August 9 and 11t, found that 29% of X users believed changes to the platform under owner Elon Musk have made the platform worse.
The polling was carried out after far-right riots spread across the UK in the wake of disinformation blamed, following the murder of three children in Southport.
A series of Labour MPs have also reportedly begun leaving the platform, with one saying Elon Musk had turned it into “a megaphone for foreign adversaries and far-right fringe groups”.
According to the Guardian, over the weekend, newly elected MPs took to WhatsApp groups to raise growing concerns about the role X played in the spread of misinformation amid the far-right-led riots in parts of England and Northern Ireland.
Two Labour MPs were said are to have told colleagues they were leaving the platform.
Musk, who bought Twitter in 2022 and renamed it X, has been embroiled in a public spat with Keir Starmer since the tech billionaire suggested that the riots meant “civil war is inevitable” in the UK.
The tycoon has been criticised for failing to crack down on misinformation on the platform and for sharing fake news himself.
Musk – who has cast himself as a proponent of free speech, reinstating Donald Trump and the far-right activist Tommy Robinson to X, held an interview with Trump on X on Monday night.
Earlier this week Number 10 said its was not going to get into a “running commentary” about its plans for social media giants and their users amid the nationwide public disorder, it has said.
Sir Keir Starmer’s spokeswoman told journalists that the Prime Minister will not enter a tit-for-tat spat with the billionaire owner of X, formerly Twitter, Elon Musk.
After disorder in towns and cities throughout the UK, Mr Musk used the hashtag #TwoTierKeir on X – a reference to allegations police have treated some protesters more harshly than others – and he posted on Friday: “Support freedom of speech in the UK!”
He also promoted false claims Sir Keir had considered setting up detainment camps in the Falkland Islands, and suggested “civil war is inevitable”.
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The Number 10 spokeswoman said: “We continue to engage with them (social media companies). I believe there’ll be further engagement this week and it’s vital that they take their responsibilities seriously.”
Asked about Mr Musk’s comments, the spokeswoman said: “I’m not proposing to get into back-and-forth on individual comments.
“Our focus is on working with the social media companies to ensure that what is illegal offline is illegal online, as it should be.”
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