UK Attorney General's Office Reportedly Abandons X Amid Racism and Violence Concerns
In a move that has captured significant attention across the political and tech landscape, the UK Attorney General's office has reportedly left X — the social media platform formerly known as Twitter — citing deep concerns over racism and violence on the platform. Attorney General Richard Hermer informed his staff of the decision, which was first reported by The Guardian and The Observer. This development marks one of the most notable examples of a UK government body distancing itself from X, and it raises important questions about the future of public institutions on the platform under Elon Musk's ownership.
What Happened: The Attorney General's Decision to Leave X
Richard Hermer, the UK's Attorney General, communicated to his team that the office would be withdrawing its presence from X. While the full details of the internal communication have not been publicly released, sources familiar with the matter indicated that concerns about the nature of content on the platform — specifically racism and violence — were central to the decision. The reports from The Guardian and The Observer, two of the UK's most respected news outlets, lend credibility to the story and suggest that this was a deliberate, values-driven choice rather than a routine administrative change.
This is not a minor bureaucratic footnote. The Attorney General's office is one of the most prominent legal institutions in the UK government, responsible for advising the government on matters of law and representing the Crown in key legal proceedings. When such an office makes a public-facing decision of this kind, it carries symbolic and practical weight far beyond that of a private individual or company deleting a social media account.
Growing Institutional Discomfort with X
The Attorney General's departure is part of a broader and accelerating trend of institutions — governmental, academic, journalistic, and corporate — reassessing their relationship with X since Elon Musk completed his acquisition of the platform in October 2022. Critics of Musk's stewardship argue that content moderation has been severely weakened, that previously banned accounts promoting hate speech and extremism have been reinstated, and that the overall environment on the platform has become more hostile and less safe for public discourse.
Several high-profile advertisers paused or permanently withdrew their spending from X in the months following Musk's takeover, citing brand safety concerns. A number of charities, NGOs, and public health organizations in the UK and elsewhere have also reduced their activity on the platform or left entirely. What makes the Attorney General's office's exit particularly notable is that it represents a government institution explicitly stepping back — a signal that concerns about X have penetrated the highest levels of public administration in Britain.
Why This Matters for UK Government Communications
Government departments and public bodies have long used social media platforms as key channels for public communication, outreach, and transparency. X, in particular, had become a go-to platform for real-time announcements, policy updates, and direct engagement with journalists and citizens. The decision by the Attorney General's office to leave raises a series of important questions:
- Will other UK government departments follow suit and reassess their presence on X?
- What alternative platforms will public bodies turn to for official communications?
- Does this signal a broader shift in how democratic governments perceive their responsibilities regarding platform safety?
- Could this move prompt formal policy discussions about which platforms are appropriate for official government use?
These are not abstract questions. The answers will shape how millions of UK residents receive and interact with government information in the coming years.
X Under Elon Musk: A Platform in Controversy
Since Musk's takeover, X has been a flashpoint for debate about free speech, platform responsibility, and the ethics of content moderation. Musk has positioned himself as a champion of free expression, reinstating many suspended accounts and significantly reducing the platform's trust and safety workforce. Proponents of this approach argue that it opens the platform to a broader range of viewpoints and reduces what they see as ideological bias in moderation decisions.
Critics, however, argue that the rollback of moderation has had tangible and harmful consequences. Research from multiple independent organizations has documented significant increases in hate speech, harassment, and the spread of misinformation on the platform following the change in ownership. For institutions like the Attorney General's office, whose work depends on public trust and the rule of law, association with a platform perceived as tolerating such content carries real reputational and ethical risk.
What Comes Next: Alternative Platforms and the Future of Public Social Media
As X's reputation continues to face scrutiny, platforms such as Bluesky, Mastodon, LinkedIn, and Threads have attracted users and institutions looking for alternatives. Bluesky, in particular, has seen surges in signups during periods of controversy surrounding X, and some UK journalists and public figures have migrated there entirely. Whether any of these alternatives can match the reach and immediacy that X once offered to government communicators remains to be seen.
For now, the UK Attorney General's office has made a clear statement through its actions. In an era where the choice of platform is increasingly a values statement as much as a practical decision, this departure from X sends a signal that even the institutions charged with upholding the law are not willing to remain on a platform they believe undermines the standards of public discourse they are sworn to protect.
Conclusion
The reported exit of the UK Attorney General's office from X is more than a minor social media update — it is a meaningful indicator of how seriously concerns about racism, violence, and content moderation failures on the platform are being taken at the highest levels of UK government. As institutions continue to evaluate their digital presence, X faces mounting pressure to demonstrate that it remains a responsible space for public conversation. Until it does, departures like this one are unlikely to be the last.