Councillors debate X use amid misinformation fears and Elon Musk ownership concerns following Edinburgh closure.
The council heard from senior managers that the Scottish Government uses X a lot. They spread information like safety warnings on it, as happened during Storm Eowyn last January. Social media gets constant checks, Corporate Communications Manager Garry Heron told the councillors.
Campbell wondered about closing the X account, noting that West Lothian Council has one. Edinburgh already decided to close theirs. Heron knew Edinburgh was thinking about it and said that some other councils are also debating social media, which they review constantly.
Campbell asked if they would keep reviewing X, saying she thinks X spreads a lot of misinformation. Musk bought Twitter and renamed it X, creating controversy since. He’s criticized the Labour Government online and people he supported.
Council’s Chief Executive Graham Hope said the Scottish Government and agencies like Transport Scotland use X a lot. They use X as a main way to share news.
Hope said agencies use X for crises, and Scotrail and NHS Scotland also use it. It’s easier to share information on one platform. They can send messages quickly during emergencies, which is better than copying and pasting.
Heron stated Transport Scotland used X in Storm Eowyn and asked councils to reshare their messages. Removing X would create challenges because they have a large following on X. He also noted that other councils and the UK government are also thinking about X.