Congressional Democrats’ usage of X, formerly Twitter, has plummeted since Elon Musk’s takeover of the social media platform, according to a report issued by the public affairs firm Quorum. The analysis reveals startling data: significantly more Republican lawmakers engaged on X during 2024 compared to their Democratic counterparts, highlighting a shifting digital political terrain.
Among the top 20 most active accounts for members of Congress, only Rep. Maxwell Frost, D-Fla., managed to secure the 15th position. This marks a dramatic change from previous reports just over a year ago, where the top 10 was nearly evenly split between six Republicans and four Democrats. Currently, all the most active accounts belong to Republicans, signaling a stark decline among the left.
Criticism of Musk’s leadership has heated up, with many on the left accusing him of leveraging the platform to strengthen far-right causes and promote former President Donald Trump. Musk and his supporters, on the other hand, maintain they are fostering free speech and enhancing user control over content. The report emphasizes this growing divide, also citing findings from 2023 which showed a significant reduction of Democrats using X.
“The use of X is on the decline among the general public after Elon Musk’s takeover—with Democrats driving the exodus,” the report noted, indicating the increasing pivot away from the platform by left-leaning users. It adds, “After analyzing the data, it’s evident the drop is not solely affected by general public sentiment, as public officials on the left are also modifying their social media habits.”
Rep. Dwight Evans, D-Pa., was noted as the most active Democratic lawmaker on X last year, yet his posting frequency has declined by 66% this year. Other California representatives, like Robert Garcia and Ted Lieu, have also seen sharp drops of 35% and 26%, respectively. The shift is not only quantitative; it also reflects qualitative changes with Republican lawmakers amassing about 54.4% of X’s congressional posts by 2024, compared to the Democrats' 45.1%. This shift starkly contrasts with the previous year, when Democrats accounted for 50.8% of the engagement, compared to 48.8% from Republicans.
An interesting aspect of congressional social media use is the trend of lawmakers often handing over control of their X accounts to staff. Yet, some politicians stand out, fully engaging as active users, such as Ted Cruz and Chip Roy. These figures utilize their platforms to engage with users directly, fostering dialogues and debates. This trend becomes imperative as Rep. Frost cautioned fellow Democrats, “If we leave X, it will help Elon with his goal of making the platform void of any progressive ideology.” According to Frost, this outcome could potentially weaken public discourse and the representation of progressive views.
While the behavioral changes on the platforms cover how lawmakers post, there is also significant concern over the updates made under Musk’s leadership. Announced on January 4, Musk's modified X algorithm aims to prioritize educational and informative content over posts viewed as negative or inflammatory. This decision has stirred controversy among users who express apprehensions it may serve to mask censorship.
“Our goal is to maximize the regretted user time. Too much negativity is highlighted, which increases the time spent on the platform—but not positively,” Musk explained, justifying the changes meant to amplify constructive interactions on the app. The implication of such changes raises fundamental questions over who determines what content is deemed negative and how this could unfairly limit the exposure of certain viewpoints.
Internet critics have voiced concerns, with independent journalist James Li among those questioning Musk’s policies. A lack of clarity surrounding the criteria for defining negativity has led to fears among users of potential bias and selective censorship as well as limiting diverse perspectives.
The recent changes do not appear to happen without contention. Musk was already embroiled in polemics prior to the announcement, particularly stemming from his commentary on reforming the U.S. immigration steps. His call for more relaxing measures prompted backlash from conservative influencers who accused him of promoting elitist ideologies contrary to public sentiments. These tensions escalated when specific influencers reported loss of access to monetization features, leading many to suspect retaliation for their criticisms.
Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin weighed in on the discourse, urging Musk to avoid compromising free speech on X. He remarked, “Respecting freedom of speech is easy when we agree with the statements made, but much more difficult when they disturb us.” This sentiment encapsulates the broader concern of maintaining diverse thought on X as it integrates higher levels of content moderation.
Musk's tenure as the owner of X has seen constant scrutiny of his approach to regulation and moderation of the platform. His desire to balance free expression with certain content control raises uncertainties about the future of political discourse on X. The dilemma remains vibrant as the platform tries to position itself as one of open dialogue, even amid pressures of user engagement and ideological stability.
Every shift Musk makes is being closely analyzed by both proponents and critics alike, highlighting the inherent tensions between moderative necessities and the ideals of unregulated speech within the digital public square. The future for X and its stewardship under Musk will undoubtedly continue to shape how discourse evolves within the 21st-century digital ecosystem.