California State Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas (D-Hollister) and 57 Democratic Assemblymembers announced Thursday that they would stop communications from official state accounts on X, citing concerns over disinformation, lack of content moderation and hate speech.
“There are real risks with relying on a private company, owned by Elon Musk, as a channel for communications. Democracy depends on impartial information, not the shifting whims of one billionaire. Hate speech is everywhere on X, the company has no accountability, and the flood of misinformation from fake accounts is just that — fake. I don’t think taxpayer resources should go to X,” Rivas said in a statement.
This is my last post on @X.
There are real risks with relying on a private company, owned by @elonmusk, as a channel for communications. Democracy depends on impartial information, not the shifting whims of one billionaire. Hate speech is everywhere on X, the company has no…
— Speaker Robert Rivas (@CASpeakerRivas) March 27, 2025
Rivas’ office said the exodus was one of the single largest departures of elected officials from the platform.
When Musk purchased Twitter, now known as X, in 2022, he sought to crack down on spam accounts and make the app more welcoming to conservative viewpoints.
A study led by a UC Berkeley doctoral student found that hate speech on X rose by about 50% in the months after Musk acquired the platform.
Elected officials often rely on X to communicate directly with constituents, share information during emergencies and publicly weigh in on policy.
Democratic lawmakers will continue using Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Threads, Bluesky, LinkedIn and YouTube to communicate with constituents.
