The Guardian newspaper in the UK is the latest in a line of organisations that have either quit social media platforms or reassessed the way that they and their staff use them.
In November 2024, the Guardian announced that it would no longer have an official presence on X, formerly Twitter, saying it had become a “toxic media platform.” The newspaper said that contend found on X included far-right conspiracy theories and racism,, which clashed with its values.
On the other hand, the paper said that reporters would still use the site for news-gathering purposes and that X users would still be able to share Guardian stories. “We think that the benefits of being on X are now outweighed by the negatives and that resources could be better used promoting our journalism elsewhere,” it told readers.
Limiting social use
The Guardian is not the first high-profile organisation to stop using the site to promote content and brands. For example, the US’s National Public Radio, global fashion brand Balenciaga and North Wales Police have all stopped actively using the platform, according to the UK’s Evening Standard.
But it is not just social media platforms that businesses have reassessed. In November, NatWest Group decided to block popular apps such WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger and Skype on company devices, according to the BBC.
“Like many organisations, we only permit the use of approved channels for communicating about business matters, whether internally or externally,” NatWest told the BBC.
Regulatory scrutiny
Regulators in particular have been cracking down on failing to keep accurate records because of the use of messaging apps. For example, the UK regulator Ofgem fined Morgan Stanley £5.1 million last year for failing to record and retain electronic communications between January 2018 and March 2020. “These communications were made by wholesale energy traders, on privately-owned phones via WhatsApp, which discussed energy market transactions,” said Ofgem in its ruling. Similar fines have been issued in the US.
Legal experts said that given the severe financial and reputational penalties at stake, other financial businesses could follow suit.
