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Organisations halt X activity amid safety and ethical concerns
Queen's University Belfast (QUB) and Belfast City Council have joined a growing list of organisations suspending their use of X, formerly known as Twitter, following investigations into its AI tool Grok over the creation of sexualised images of real individuals.
Sector-wide shift away from platform
The Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action (Nicva) ceased posting on X in March 2025, with Chief Executive Celine McStravick stating the platform contradicted the organisation's core values. She described a meeting with voluntary and community sector members where fears over the platform's direction were stark.
"It was being used to spread lies, breed hateful comments, and encourage misogyny. There seemed to be no sanctions for such rhetoric," McStravick said.
Celine McStravick, Nicva Chief Executive
McStravick noted that while Twitter had once been a valuable engagement tool, the platform's atmosphere had shifted dramatically in recent years, becoming a space marked by hostility and unchecked harmful content.
Charities and councils follow suit
The Community Foundation for Northern Ireland also stopped using X in May 2025, citing an increase in unregulated commentary and hate speech. David Kennedy, a representative of the foundation, highlighted concerns over the targeting of funded organisations working with marginalised communities, including LGBT and newcomer groups.
"The hate speech directed at these communities was, in our view, unacceptable. Since Elon Musk's acquisition, we've seen further deregulation of content on the platform," Kennedy said.
David Kennedy, Community Foundation for Northern Ireland
Dublin City Council suspended its X activity in January 2026, while the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) announced this week it would close its district accounts after evaluating engagement and usage.
Council vote reflects safeguarding fears
On Monday, Belfast City councillors voted to suspend the council's X account pending the outcome of an Ofcom review into Grok AI's monitoring. Green Party councillor Brian Smyth, who co-sponsored the motion with Social Democratic and Labour Party councillor Séamas De Faoite, emphasised safeguarding concerns.
"Twitter has prioritised profit over the safety of women and girls, evidenced by the surge in sexualised deepfakes," Smyth said.
Brian Smyth, Green Party Councillor
Smyth warned that continued presence on the platform posed a "serious risk of reputational harm" to the council.
QUB aligns decision with institutional values
In a statement posted to its X account, QUB confirmed it was "currently not using X," framing the decision as a commitment to maintaining respectful and inclusive communication spaces. A university spokesperson told BBC News NI that X had "changed significantly over the years."
X has not yet responded to requests for comment from BBC News NI.
