Suicide prevention organization for LGBTQ+ youth, The Trevor Project, announced its intention to quit social media platform X, citing the increasing hate towards the community.
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The Trevor Project Leaves X
According to the group, X has been a platform of increased "hate and vitriol" in which the LGBTQ community has become the target. "No online space is perfect, but having access to sufficient moderation capabilities is essential to maintaining a safer space for our community," the statement read.
The Trevor Project has made the decision to close its account on X.
Read our full statement here. pic.twitter.com/3rWt6Xfz1S— The Trevor Project (@TrevorProject) November 9, 2023
Despite the closure of the X account, The Trevor Project assured that they can still follow the community on other social media sites like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn. The group also has an open line through its own social networking site, which is designed specifically for youth ages 13 to 24.
Moreover, the group also attributed its decision to X's removal of some moderation functions, which made it more difficult for them to create a welcoming space on the platform. While some supporters were saddened by the decision, some users voiced concerns about providing a platform for minors to interact with adults.
"The content we share on social media is intended to uplift and affirm LGBTQ young people, shedding light on stories to deepen the public understanding of their experiences," the group emphasized with CNN.
Organizations Abandon X as a Platform
Aside from The Trevor Project, other organizations from various causes have also decided to leave the platform after Musk acquired it. For instance, there have been reports that almost half of the environmental-related organizations left the platform.
A research showed that one of the primary causes is the changes in the content moderation that Musk implemented. Since then, there has been an increase in abuse, hate speech, and misinformation across the platform. The company also implemented various updates that caused confusion to its users who eventually left the platform.
While many users have been complaining about the changes, X only showed efforts to address its concerns to promote the service to advertisers. X CEO Linda Yaccarino previously boasted the site's brand safety controls which allow advertisers to pick the placement of their ads.
Related Article: Almost Half of Environmental Twitter Left X After Musk's Acquisition
