Councillors are exploring quitting X amid abuse concerns, impacting citizen access and council resource allocation.
Councillor Booth said X became abusive and chaotic. He feels the owner is a fascist, so the council shouldn’t deal with fascists. The council wants a report about leaving X to know if residents will use other channels.
The council uses over 80 X accounts for services. @edinhelp lets residents make complaints.
Kevin Lang noted group leaders still use X, including Greens, SNP, and Labour leaders. He thinks it’s a waste of time. He thinks housing, climate, and social care are bigger issues and doesn’t want officers focused on X.
The report is due in mid-March, advising that councillors should “seriously consider” using X. The council also wants officers to assess social media presence overall, which covers all platforms they use.
Booth is happy the motion passed and thanks SNP and Labour for their support. Ending X use will take time, but he thinks it is right.
Joe Sullivan reported this. The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) provides public service news.