Angela B. Tech 03.25.2024 00:Mar AM EDT

X Continues to Lose Active Users, Several Analysts Say

X, still commonly known as Twitter, hasn't been doing all that well with its active subscribers, among other things. Research firms have been looking into the social media site, and the data says that it has been deteriorating in certain metrics.

(Photo : Jaap Arriens/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

X's Current State

Ever since Elon Musk acquired the company, data shows that the social media site has gone downhill since. After the tech billionaire implemented a couple of changes, users think that it has strayed too far from the platform that they were used to.

Two research firms showed data, along with statistics shared by Musk, suggesting that X hasn't been doing well against its competitors like Instagram and TikTok in terms of video content. Even though it still has a lead in the microblogging scene, the declining numbers are hard to ignore.

Back in February, X saw a drop in its mobile user base, with 27 million active users, down by 18% compared to the previous year. As shown in NBC News, there was almost no growth in user numbers, and that every month either saw zero changes or a decrease in users.

That has been the case since Musk acquired the company in 2022. In total, including web users, the user base has gone down by 23%, and that's just the US. Worldwide, X has seen a 15% decline from the previous year, all while competitors saw increases in usage.

Facebook saw a 1.5% increase, Instagram by 5.3%, TikTok by 0.5%, and Snapchat by 8.8%. The mentioned apps have also seen declines since 2022, but all are not as bad as X, which is continuously losing users every month, or at the very least, not gaining new ones.

Senior Insight Analyst Abe Yousef said that the decline in the mobile app was due to "user frustration over flagrant content, general platform technical issues, and the growing threat of short-form video platforms."

X Changes Under Musk

Many would say that the rebranding efforts of the X owner are what is leading the platform to its doom. Musk has since implemented several changes that its users have disagreed with, and he continues to add new things that people could do without.

Because of Musk's idea of "free speech," the platform has been flooded with insensitive content. It doesn't help that the tech billionaire has reinstated the previously banned accounts of controversial individuals like Donald Trump and Andrew Tate.

The owner himself has also been the cause of many frustrations concerning the platform due to his posts, some of which led to the loss of advertisers. Companies like IBM, Apple, Warner Bros. Discovery, and other companies have cut ties with X due to Musk's alleged antisemitic posts.

Even before that, advertisers had already left because their ads were said to be appearing near unsavory posts on the site. Musk did not deal with matters elegantly either, saying that he would "name & shame" the advertisers who decided to leave the company due to boycott pressures.