More than 60 German and Austrian academic organizations depart X; Exodus continues

As more than 60 German and Austrian academic organizations depart X, a day after Musk’s Weidel talk, I have curated a list of institutions that left X. I have also looked to see if these academic organizations are looking for alternatives. There are just too many alternatives, and engagement levels are still low.

Media Organizations

• The Guardian, a UK-based newspaper, announced it would no longer post on X from any of its editorial accounts[4]
• Watson, a Swiss news portal, shut down its X accounts[4]
• National Public Radio (NPR) left X in April 2023[2]
• Dagens Nyheter, Sweden’s “newspaper of reference,” stopped posting on X[2]
• La Vanguardia, a Spanish newspaper, joined the exodus[2]

Government Institutions

• The German government is considering leaving the platform due to concerns over its algorithms[15]
• The UK government has voiced fears that the platform is warping political discourse[7]

Research Institutions

• The Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL)
• The Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research
• The Sempach Ornithological Institute[4]

Sports Organizations

• St Pauli, a German soccer club, left X and urged fans to switch to Bluesky[2]
• Werder Bremen, another German soccer club, followed suit[2]

Labor Unions

• The Unified Service Sector Union (Verdi)
• The Education and Science Union (GEW)[10]

Legal Institutions

• The Federal Court of Justice (BGH) in Germany[7]

Corporations

• Major advertisers including Apple, IBM, Disney, Sony, Comcast (NBC Universal), and Paramount have paused advertising on X[3]
• Walmart joined the advertising boycott[6]
• Best Buy and Target have ceased posting on X[2]

These departures span various sectors, indicating a broader trend of institutions reconsidering their presence on Platform X due to concerns about misinformation, hate speech, and the platform’s overall direction under Elon Musk’s ownership.

Citations:

1. More Academics Flee X After Election
2. Companies That Have Left X (Twitter)
3. Top Advertisers Flee X Amidst Continued Controversy
4. More and More Swiss Personalities and Institutions Are Leaving X
5. The Public Figures and Companies That Are Leaving X (Formerly Twitter)
6. Will More Advertisers Leave X?
7. German Institutions Depart X a Day After Musk’s Weidel Talk
8. Should My Organisation Leave or Delete Twitter/X or Stay on There?
9. Why Advertisers Are Boycotting X: Elon Musk’s Impact in 2024
10. More Than German Universities and Unions Leave X Over Disinformation Concerns
11. As Musk Pushes AfD, German Officials Consider Ditching X
12. Elon Musk’s X Declining User Base in 2025
13. More Than 60 German Universities and Research Institutions Leave X
14. UK Universities Join Retreat from Elon Musk’s X, Citing Misinformation on the Platform
15. Berlin May Quit X Over Algorithms, Government Spokesperson Says
16. Advertisers Withdraw from X (Formerly Twitter)

Which alternative social media platforms are the universities considering?

The German universities that have decided to quit X are considering several alternative social media platforms to maintain their online presence. Based on the information provided, the main alternatives under consideration are:

1. Bluesky[2][5]
2. Mastodon[2][5]
3. Threads[2][5]

In addition to these potential new platforms, many of the universities already maintain accounts on other established social media networks:

• Instagram[2]
• LinkedIn[2]
• Facebook[2]
• YouTube[2]

It’s important to note that while the universities are exploring these alternatives, they have not collectively chosen a single replacement for X. They are currently in the process of evaluating which platforms align best with their values of open-mindedness, scientific integrity, transparency, and democratic discourse[2][5].

The universities acknowledge that scientific and fact-based communication faces challenges on other social networks as well, and they are carefully considering their options before committing to new platforms[2].

Citations:

1. Dozens of German Universities Will No Longer Post on X from Their Official Accounts
2. Goethe University Frankfurt and Numerous Other German Universities Withdraw from X
3. Over 60 German Universities Quit Social Media Platform X
4. Dozens of German Universities Turn Back on X Accounts
5. Over 60 German Universities Leave X Over Value Compatibility Issues
6. German Universities and Unions Sever Ties with Platform X Over Disinformation Concerns
7. German Institutions Depart X a Day After Musk’s Weidel Talk
8. “Not Compatible”: Dozens of German Universities Turn Back on Social Media Platform X
9. German Institutions Depart X a Day After Musk’s Weidel Talk
10. Dozens of German Universities Abandon X After Musk’s Conversation with Far-Right AfD Leader