Liverpool Mayor’s Call to Quit X Threatens Free Speech and Open Debate

In a troubling push against free speech, Steve Rotheram, the Labour mayor of the Liverpool City Region, recently suggested that politicians and the public consider quitting Elon Musk’s social media platform, X, in response to the platform’s alleged role in spreading misinformation that contributed to recent riots in his area. This reactionary stance threatens to undermine open dialogue and the freedom of expression that platforms like X were designed to protect.

Rotheram’s comments follow the tragic stabbing of three girls in Southport and subsequent far-right-led riots that were reportedly fueled by false claims shared online. While it is undeniable that misinformation can have dangerous consequences, Rotheram’s call to abandon X en masse is a misguided approach that overlooks the fundamental importance of free speech in a democratic society.

Elon Musk, who acquired Twitter and rebranded it as X in 2022, has consistently championed the platform as a space for open and uncensored communication. Critics, like Rotheram, argue that Musk has failed to adequately police misinformation, but these calls for increased regulation or mass exodus from the platform are steps toward censorship that could stifle free discourse.

Dawn Butler, a Labour MP, echoed Rotheram’s concerns, accusing Musk of “emboldening the far right” through his online behavior. She, along with other Labour MPs, has considered moving to alternative platforms, citing an increase in “racist, abusive, and violent content.” However, instead of fleeing X, political leaders should engage more actively on the platform to counter harmful narratives and provide accurate information.

The suggestion that the government should intervene if social media companies do not self-regulate is equally alarming. It raises the specter of government overreach and the potential suppression of dissenting voices. Rather than promoting heavy-handed regulation, the focus should be on empowering users with tools to discern credible information and engage in responsible online behavior.

Rotheram’s proposal, while well-intentioned, risks leaving a vacuum in online spaces that could be filled by the very elements he fears—extremists and hate groups unchecked by countering voices. The solution is not to abandon platforms like X, but to use them more effectively to promote truth, dialogue, and understanding.

In a world where social media plays an increasingly central role in public discourse, retreating from these platforms is not the answer. Instead, leaders and citizens alike should embrace the responsibility that comes with this new age of communication: to engage, educate, and ensure that the marketplace of ideas remains vibrant and free from the overreach of censorship. Elon Musk’s vision for X as a platform for unfiltered expression is one worth defending, not abandoning.