Broadview Leaves X, Joins Bluesky Citing Disinformation and Platform Values

The independent Canadian media outlet Broadview.org has officially announced its decision to leave X (formerly Twitter) and migrate to Bluesky, citing concerns over rising disinformation, platform manipulation, and a growing misalignment with the outlet's journalistic values.

In a statement published on April 8, Broadview’s editor-in-chief Jocelyn Bell outlined the organization’s reasoning for what it describes as a “small but deliberate act of resistance.”

Broadview’s article begins with a look back at what Twitter once represented — a free-flowing, democratic space for conversation — and contrasts it with the current state of X under Elon Musk’s ownership. Since acquiring the platform in 2022, Musk has made headlines for changes to content moderation, algorithmic visibility, and his highly active and controversial political engagement.

The article notes that Musk, now the platform’s most-followed user, has used X to boost political content favoring Donald Trump and other Republican candidates. Following Trump’s re-election, Musk was appointed co-leader of the Department of Government Efficiency, a move that Broadview calls “deeply troubling” for democratic norms and media independence.

“This means that a member of Trump’s administration — now dubbed the president’s ‘first buddy’ — also holds one of the world’s biggest megaphones,” Broadview writes.

Broadview’s editorial criticizes what it describes as “rage farming” and algorithmic bias on the platform, suggesting that Musk has steered X toward promoting extremist content and suppressing critical, fact-based journalism.

The piece also references the mental and emotional toll of the 2024 U.S. election results, sharing that many of Broadview’s readers have expressed grief and confusion over recent political developments.

Yet, Broadview emphasizes that its decision to leave is not a call for activism but rather a move to “align our online presence with our values of compassion and equity.”

The platform Broadview has chosen as its new home is Bluesky, a decentralized social network originally incubated by Twitter and now operating as an independent company led by software engineer Jay Graber.

Broadview highlights several key factors that drew them to Bluesky:

Although Bluesky currently has around 30 million users – a fraction of X’s 600 million+ – it’s increasingly seen as a safe haven for creators and media organizations looking for greater algorithmic transparency and a less toxic environment.