X: An Anxious Space, With No Room for Debate, Where Disinformation Reigns Supreme

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Like many of you, I’ve been using X (formerly Twitter) for years. However, over the past two years, the platform has been undergoing an identity crisis, effectively committing self-sabotage. What once was a place of vibrant discussions has turned into an overwhelmingly anxiety-inducing space, with no possibility for debate and where disinformation thrives, actively encouraged by its owner. I believe I’m one of many who are tired of seeing a social network that, while struggling to generate revenue, was at least healthy, transform into the digital equivalent of a tire fire from The Simpsons.

Mass Disinformation Without Moderation

Since Elon Musk’s acquisition, the platform has taken a sharp turn for the worse. By firing 80% of Twitter’s staff and hiding behind the banner of “free speech,” Musk has allowed disinformation to spread unchecked. This has enabled accounts like Silvano Trotta — conspiracy theorists previously penalized for spreading falsehoods — to reappear, cheered on by the billionaire’s fans.

While introducing a semblance of moderation through Community Notes (formerly Birdwatch — more on that later), the platform has devolved into a digital version of France-Soir. Yes, I’m directly comparing a social network to a conspiracy blog, and I stand by it. (If Xavier Azalbert sees this, feel free to message me on X or Bluesky.) The platform not only lets disinformation spread but also eliminates opportunities for debate. Recently, it has even begun suppressing the visibility of links to external content, such as articles. This makes factual reporting by outlets like Le Monde, FranceInfo, or L’Express harder to access.

The platform’s owner claims X users are the “new media,” dismissing traditional journalism in favor of unverified individuals. This directly impacts contributors like me, who, as a volunteer writer for a small publication, engage in civic journalism — a legitimate form of journalism with its own set of professional guidelines. Unlike journalists, disinformers flout these rules entirely.

When faced with factual rebuttals during debates, they often resort to insults or simply block those who disagree with them. For example, before X reduced the visibility of links, I engaged in a debate with Véronique Genest. Shortly after I presented her with factual information, she blocked me, ending the discussion. On other platforms, debate remains possible.

Admittedly, Musk had a halfway decent idea in expanding Birdwatch into Community Notes. However, there’s a glaring issue: the system doesn’t vet who can use it. This allows disinformers to exploit the tool, reducing the visibility of fact-based notes and further amplifying falsehoods.

And let’s not forget the revamped verification system. By merging it with X Premium, disinformers can now access verification, gaining algorithmic visibility boosts and even earning money. (Yes, disinformation is lucrative.) Meanwhile, accounts that curate credible information sometimes propagate misinformation themselves. When fact-checking their claims, I’ve been met with hateful comments from people who genuinely believe the falsehoods being spread. Oh and Elon Musk doesn’t help either for promoting the debate, he prefers to mock anyone and propagates disinformation, and even incitate to the harassment!

The Impact of X on Me and other peoples

Before discussing X’s effects on my mental health, I’d like to share that I was diagnosed with anxiety by a psychiatrist a year and a half ago. With that context, here’s how X affects me: as I scroll through the platform, I’ve become increasingly wary of certain accounts. Encountering disinformation causes me significant stress — even during casual browsing. This makes it harder to distinguish factual information from disinformation, despite my ability to fact-check.

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Thankfully, there are accounts like Checknews, Random Debunk, KNLDG Media, Dr. Barraud, Professor Molimard, and Dr. Barrière (and many others who will recognize themselves in this Medium article) that focus on reporting facts. In contrast, disinformers sow doubt, hatred, and stress.

And about other peoples like said, our account is X’s property not ours which is kinda weird (I don’t know if our content is ours or X’s) but on other peoples it can generate stress and insecurity because of the harassment made on X.

On Bluesky, I’ve discovered new accounts from people who, like me, are fed up with X and Elon Musk’s chaotic management (and future plans to run a “Government Efficiency Department,” which will likely make things worse). It’s reached a point where many of us are saying, “Screw it, we’re leaving X for Bluesky!”

If you’d like to follow me on Bluesky, my handle is gaetan-chartrer.bluesky.social.