Pop icon Elton John has announced his leave from Twitter after anti-LGBTQ+ hate speech and misinformation skyrockets.
Over the last month, the popular social media app has been at the centre of non-stop controversy due to Tesla CEO Elon Musk and his acquisition of the company.
Since stepping into power, the polarising figure has faced backlash from employees, users and celebrities for his questionable business practices and harmful tweets.
Under Musk’s leadership, the app has implemented shocking adjustments to its established user policy – which has resulted in increased hate speech towards marginalised communities and misinformation regarding the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Because of Twitter’s unstable and questionable foundation, John announced that he would be leaving the platform on 9 December.
“All my life, I’ve tried to use music to bring people together. Yet it saddens me to see how misinformation is now being used to divide our world,” he tweeted.
“I’ve decided to no longer use Twitter, given their recent change in policy, which will allow misinformation to flourish unchecked.”
Shortly after John’s announcement, thousands of users inundated his mentions – including Musk himself.
All my life I’ve tried to use music to bring people together. Yet it saddens me to see how misinformation is now being used to divide our world.
I’ve decided to no longer use Twitter, given their recent change in policy which will allow misinformation to flourish unchecked.
— Elton John (@eltonofficial) December 9, 2022
“I love your music. Hope you can come back. Is there any misinformation in particular that you’re concerned about?” he wrote.
John isn’t the only celebrity to step away from Twitter because of Musk’s takeover.
Back in November, Gigi Hadid and Whoopi Goldberg revealed that they were leaving the platform due to its toxic environment.
“I deactivated my Twitter account today. For a long time, but especially with its new leadership, it’s becoming more and more of a cesspool of hate and bigotry, and it’s not a place I want to be part of,” Hadid said via her Instagram stories (per Rolling Stone).
Goldberg echoed similar sentiments during her appearance on The View.
“I’m getting off today. I just feel like it’s so messy, and I’m tired of now having had certain kinds of attitudes blocked, and now they’re back on,” she explained.
“I’m going to get out, and if it settles down and I feel more comfortable, maybe I’ll come back.”
Other celebrities that have boycotted Twitter include Shonda Rhimes, Jim Carrey, David Simon, Jamela Jamil, Trent Reznor, Playbill magazine, Téa Leoni, and Jack White.
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