Full Breakdown
Electronic Frontier Foundation Exits X Amid Declining Engagement
4/10/2026, 6:16:24 AM
Declining Engagement on X
The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), a prominent digital rights nonprofit, has announced its departure from X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, after nearly two decades of presence. This decision comes amid a broader conversation regarding X's declining ability to drive traffic and engagement for its users. EFF's social media manager, Kenyatta Thomas, highlighted a significant drop in impressions, noting that the organization’s posts, which once garnered between 50 and 100 million impressions monthly in 2018, fell to approximately 2 million impressions per month by 2024. In 2023, EFF's 1,500 posts collectively earned around 13 million impressions for the entire year, indicating a stark decline in visibility and engagement.
Reasons for Departure
In a blog post, Thomas stated, “To put it bluntly, an X post today receives less than 3% of the views a single tweet delivered seven years ago.” This decline in engagement is compounded by a perceived deterioration in the platform's culture and policies since Elon Musk's acquisition in 2022. EFF had previously expressed concerns regarding content moderation, user control, and security on X, but claims that these issues remain unaddressed. Thomas remarked, “Many users left. Today we’re joining them,” emphasizing that the organization’s decision was not made lightly but was overdue.
Broader Context of Departures
EFF is not alone in its exit from X; other organizations, including NPR, PBS, The Guardian, and Le Monde, have also ceased their activities on the platform, often citing various reasons related to Musk's management and the platform's evolving dynamics. For instance, NPR and PBS reacted to Musk's labeling of them as “state-affiliated media,” while Le Monde's departure was linked to Musk's connections with former President Donald Trump. The decline in traffic and engagement on X has left many publishers struggling, as they face challenges from shifting online consumer behavior and increased competition from AI-driven content.
Criticism of X's Current State
Nate Silver, a data analyst formerly associated with FiveThirtyEight, engaged in a public debate regarding X's effectiveness for news organizations. He noted that even when efforts were made to foster on-platform discussions, the conversion to off-site traffic remained low, with only 2-3% of readership translating into website visits. Silver pointed out that X is now dominated by conservative influencers, with accounts like “Catturd” achieving higher engagement than established news outlets such as The New York Times. Musk dismissed Silver's analysis as “bullshit,” reflecting the contentious atmosphere surrounding discussions about X's current state.
Official Statements
In its announcement, EFF emphasized that its decision to leave X was driven by a combination of declining engagement metrics and a lack of meaningful changes to the platform's policies. The organization plans to continue its advocacy for digital privacy and free speech on alternative platforms, including Bluesky, Mastodon, LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Last year, our 1,500 posts earned roughly 13 million impressions for the entire year. To put it bluntly, an X post today receives less than 3% of the views a single tweet delivered seven years ago.” — Kenyatta Thomas, EFF Social Media Manager
- “Many users left. Today we’re joining them.” — Kenyatta Thomas, EFF Social Media Manager
The departure of EFF from X underscores the ongoing challenges faced by the platform and its users, as engagement continues to decline and organizations reassess their presence in the digital landscape.
