Stirling Council is to “keep under constant review” its use of X after some Scots councils quit the platform over the “dissemination of harmful and extremist content”.
Earlier this week, South Lanarkshire Council (SLC) revealed that it will stop posting on the platform – except for emergency alerts – due to “widespread public concerns that X now allows the promotion and dissemination of harmful and extremist content, including content that is unlawful, abusive or false”.
It was agreed that SLC would continue to use the platform for the time being, but only for the sharing of alerts that provide information that local residents need to know immediately – such as school or road closures, extreme weather events or other issues that impact on council services.
The Stirling Observer asked Stirling Council whether it had any plans to follows suit and cease its use of the site.
A council spokesperson said: “X, formerly known as Twitter, is one of a large number of mechanisms used to communicate information to ensure residents are informed about local services and we promote the council to a wide visitor and business audience.
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“These are incorporated into the communications mix as part of our commitment that communications from the council are clear, easy to access and understand, appropriate to the audience and that all communications mechanisms used are done so in a consistent way.
“There are no current plans to stop using X but all channels are kept under constant review for their effectiveness as mechanisms in reaching audiences across Stirling Council and wider areas and managed through the council’s media policy to ensure their effectiveness.”
Stirling Council currently has almost 30,000 followers on X.
Earlier this month, Edinburgh City Council was urged to cease its use of X. Green councillor Chas Booth put forward a motion calling for use of the site to be discontinued.
A number of councils and organisations, including Renfrewshire Council, Devon County Council, North Somerset Council and others, have already taken the decision to stop using X.
The social media platform has lost millions of active users since controversial tycoon Elon Musk completed a $40billion takeover of the platform in October 2022.