Paris mayor calls X a ‘global sewer’

The mayor of Paris says she is quitting X, formerly Twitter, arguing the social media platform has “become a gigantic global sewer” that counters democracy and peaceful debate.

In a lengthy post titled “Why I am leaving Twitter” on Monday, Anne Hidalgo said it has “become an impressive tool for destroying our democracies.”

“Today, controversy, rumor and crude manipulation rule public debate, fueled by Twitter’s algorithm, where the only thing that counts is the number of ‘likes.’ Facts are irrelevant,” Hidalgo wrote.

Without directly naming Elon Musk, she said under “its owner” the platform “intentionally exacerbates tensions and conflicts.”

“This medium has become a gigantic global sewer, and we should continue to wade into it?” Hidalgo asked, adding later, “With its thousands of anonymous accounts and its troll farms, life on Twitter is the exact opposite of democratic life.”

The Hill has reached out to X for comment.

X has come under renewed scrutiny since the beginning of Israel’s war with militant group Hamas last month, with organizations including the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) accusing the platform and Musk of allowing antisemitic messages since he purchased it last year.

Since acquiring the platform, the tech billionaire made numerous controversial changes, including easing some of its content moderation policies, which critics say has rapidly increased the spread of hate speech and misinformation.

Musk himself faced backlash earlier this month after he appeared to endorse an antisemitic conspiracy theory that suggested antisemitism was carried out by minorities and that Jewish people were to blame.

Controversy struck again days later when a report from liberal watchdog Media Matters for America said it found ads for companies including Apple, Bravo, Oracle, Xfinity and IBM placed next to posts celebrating Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party on the platform. Several companies halted their ad spending as a result. 

Musk is suing Media Matters in response, calling the report a “fraudulent attack.”

Hidalgo’s office said the decision to leave X was not a response to the platform’s recent controversies, but rather a choice made over time, The Associated Press reported.