Politicians agree to stop using social media site

A town council in Cornwall has agreed to stop using a social media platform for official business.

Marazion Town Council said it was one of the first 213 councils in Cornwall to ban the use of X, formerly known as Twitter.

As part of a full council meeting, the motion was passed on a majority decision by councillors they would stop using the platform as a tool to publicise what it is doing or to talk with residents.

It was felt using the platform for anything the council wanted to promote went against both the local authority and town's "beliefs around tolerance, respect and inclusiveness". The BBC has contacted X for comment.

Councillor Richard Stokoe, who suggested the motion, said: "From what I can gather we are the first out of the 213 councils in Cornwall to make a formal move to ban the local authority from corporately using it.

"Twitter just doesn't feel like a place where responsible organisations should be touting their wares or aligning their values with."

He said the town and council had not wish to be associated with "such an awful online forum".

X announced on 14 January it would block Grok from undressing images of real people in jurisdictions where it is illegal.

Stokoe added: "Yes, there is always the right of free speech but free speech, can be done in places which aren't making money through knowingly allowing its Grok AI platform and users to undress women without their consent and, even worse, children.

"This goes on top of the toxic cocktail of racism, sexism and unchecked lies being the main staple of that social media platform."

Erewash Borough Council in Derbyshire also made the decision to stop using the "unsafe" social media platform in January.

Other councils include Devon County Council, Warwick District Council, Belfast City Council, Southampton City Council and a number of others.

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