Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo announced on Monday her withdrawal from the X platform, formerly known as Twitter, describing it as a “giant global sewer” that “destroys our democracies” by spreading insults and misleading information.
Before Elon Musk bought Twitter in 2022, the platform underwent significant changes, including laying off thousands of employees, including content moderators, and rebranding as X. The platform faced criticism, including from the White House, for not taking sufficient action against anti-Semitism.
Hidalgo stated in lengthy posts in both English and French, “This platform and its owner intentionally fuel tensions and conflicts,” pointing to manipulation, misleading information, anti-Semitism, and attacks on scientists, climate experts, and liberal women.
The socialist politician, who lost the presidential election with 1.7% of the votes in 2022, questioned, “Has this platform become a giant global sewer, and should we continue to dive into it?” She added, “I refuse to endorse this evil plan.”
Recently, Hidalgo faced criticism for a trip to the French Polynesian island of Tahiti, claiming to inspect a surfing site for the 2024 Olympics. Critics argued that it was not within her jurisdiction, and her daughter, who lives there, accompanied her on the partially tax-funded trip, sparking the #TahitiGate hashtag from X users and opposition politicians.
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