Borough Council ceases “vile” social media platform use for “unchecked spread of misinformation, racism and transphobia”

Erewash Borough Council headquarters in Long Eaton. Photo by Eddie Bisknell.

By Eddie Bisknell – Local Democracy Reporting Service

A Derbyshire council has agreed to stop using Twitter/X after councillors referred to it as a “vile platform” which allowed misinformation, racism and transphobia to spread unchecked.

At an Erewash Borough Council meeting this month (January 22nd), Labour, Conservative, Liberal Democrat and Green councillors approved the plan to scrap the authority’s presence on Twitter/X, while Reform UK members opposed the move.

The council has been using the social media platform, among others, since April 2010, gathering 5,500 followers.

However, it says its own newsletter trumps this takeup, having 18,000 subscribers, while it has 17,000 followers on Facebook.

Councillor Ann Mills, Green Party, who brought the motion, told the meeting: “I’ve never been on X, I’ve avoided it like the plague for a long time.

“Recent developments on Twitter/X, including weak moderation, proliferation of abuse, and the introduction of AI-generated deepfake image creation, including have made the platform a space where women, children, and marginalised groups are particularly at increased risk.

“Continued reliance on the platform for official communications may disproportionately impact protected groups and create barriers to engagement.

“I am not saying everyone should stop using it, but if that is a place where racists and transphobists feel welcome, then go for it.”

Cllr Robert Mee, Liberal Democrat, said: “If it is not safe, it is not a safe and reliable platform for use by a local government organisation.

“It is not trustworthy. False information spreads faster than any correction ever can.

“We can’t afford to use it as a means for communication if X doesn’t serve the community.

“It is a vile platform and we stop using it now.”

Cllr Paul Maginnis, Reform UK, said it was “absolutely disgusting what is happening with Grok”, calling it “despicable”, but said freedom of speech needed to be defended.

Twitter, now called X, has come under fire this month due to its artificial intelligence (AI) software tool allowing users to remove clothing from images of real people, prompting widespread debate about consent, criminality and safeguarding issues.

Cllr Joel Bryan, Labour, said: “We shouldn’t use a platform that has so little respect for human decency.”

Cllr Wayne Major, Conservative opposition leader, said: “I am proud to live in a country that has freedom of expression. Some people lose their lives for speaking out against people in power.

“However, I do believe X has crossed the line. I support this not to ban things but to send the message that there is a line.”

Cllr Becca Everett, Labour’s deputy leader, said she was “horrified by the state of X and Twitter”.

Cllr James Dawson, Labour leader, said there had been a decline in community use and interaction with the council’s Twitter profile and that it was no longer an effective method of engagement.

Cllr Sam Revill, Conservative, said as a new dad that the next generation needed to be educated in the safe use of the internet and social media.