The rise of Elon Musk to head of the Department for Government Efficiency (DOGE) in the USA after the victory of Donald Trump is not a coincidence, nor is it only the result of his financial contribution estimated at 200 million dollars to the Republican candidate’s campaign. Musk has given populism a powerful tool: the X social network.

A new study made in nine countries reveals that X has become a platform for polarization. Research highlights that this is exploited by both left and right users to marginalize opponents, dissidents or moderates as ‘enemies’. As a result, many users started leaving the platform, looking for alternatives like Threads and Bluesky.

The study, published in Communication of nature and run by City St. George’s Business School at the University of London, in collaboration with the Alan Turing Institute, analyzed 375 million interactions on X during one day in September 2022. It focused on political communication in nine countries: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States. The conclusion is common across all the nations analyzed: “We find that there is a common ally-enemy structure in how members classified as part of the political left and right interact with each other.”

The mechanism driving this phenomenon goes beyond simply sharing or disliking messages; is primarily determined by the toxicity of the content itself. “Out-group interactions, as defined by the network, are more toxic than in-group interactions,” the study states, noting that political discussions are much more toxic than discussions on other topics.

In this way, the authors broaden the scope of platform harm, which many studies limit to “filter bubbles” or “echo chambers,” where users are only exposed to content that aligns with their existing biases. According to the researchers, the effects are more significant because X facilitates communication between groups with different ideologies, but this communication is often toxic. “Psychological models suggest that this could induce a reinforcing cycle that could worsen interactional polarization over time,” the study acknowledges.

The problem is driven by what’s known as “affective polarization,” which the study defines as “the tendency to dislike partisan opponents.”

For Andrea Baronchelli, math teacher at City St. George and the study’s lead researcher, the consistent finding across all nine countries is key: “Our research reveals a key attraction of large platforms like X (formerly Twitter): the opportunity to engage in toxic exchanges with political opponents, as opposed to the smaller platforms that simply allow conversations between like-minded users. This paper confirms that the trend extends to all countries, suggesting a society where the other is seen only as an adversary and obedience is reserved for allies (similars).

The situation, Baronchelli warns, may get worse — though it will be difficult to track due to restrictions on access to data imposed by Musk after acquiring the platform. “We no longer have access to the high-quality data needed to study these issues,” he explains. “This lack of transparency is a significant democratic concern and a challenge if we want to improve the quality of political communication online.”

This restriction is one of the limitations acknowledged by the authors of the study. The research was limited to a single day and nine countries in a specific context, so it does not capture the trajectory of political discourse over time, nor is it applicable to countries outside this sample.

However, Baronchelli says his team remains committed to “continuing to study broader impacts” because of the significant risks that platforms like X pose to democratic life.

The study challenges the view that social media simply reflects an existing societal divide, arguing instead that it actively exacerbates it, with potentially serious consequences: “Severe polarization can stifle debate, breed animosity between groups, and lead to democratic retreat or to violence”.

X the exodus and rise of alternative networks

One reason for the growing exodus from X is the warning issued by the European Commissioner for the Internal Market and Services, Thierry Breton, who warned the platform against using it to spread disinformation and illegal content related to the Arab-Israeli conflict. Breton reminded Musk that X must comply with European regulations Digital Services Lawwhich imposes content moderation obligations. The Brazilian government has even echoed these concerns temporary suspension of the platform.

In addition to government actions, more users such as The Guardian, and La Vanguardia, abandon Elon Musk’s network or turn to alternative platforms like Threads and Bluesky for their social media interactions.

Prominent figures including actress Jamie Lee Curtis have also joined the growing list of X dropouts. “Lord, give me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change. Courage to change the things I can. And the wisdom to make a difference,” Curtis posted on Instagram, where she announced her departure from X.

The Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale) has also announced that it will stop using X by the end of the year. “Berlinale has decided to say goodbye to X on December 31, 2024. Thank you for following us here all these years. Stay connected with all things Berlinale on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube and our website. See you there!” THE posted organization.

Meanwhile, alternatives to X are experiencing strong user growth. Bluesky, founded by former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, claims to have surpassed 14 million users, nearly 10 percent of whom joined after Trump’s victory, mainly from the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.

“We’re seeing increased levels of activity across all different forms of engagement,” said Emily Liu, a spokeswoman for the company. The New York Times. in an email. New or newly active users on the platform include celebrities such as rapper Flavor Flav, author John Green, as well as political and media figures. “Hello, less hateful world,” Mark Cuban, billionaire and Kamala Harris supporter, posted on tuesday.

Threads, the platform created by Meta to compete with X, reported reaching 275 million monthly active users this month.

No X spokesperson or representative responded to this newspaper’s request for comment on the study published in Communication of nature.

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