The Capital Regional District is shutting down its X account, saying the social-media platform has “become rife with misinformation” that can spread rapidly and undermine public trust in official communications.
The board voted unanimously Wednesday to start the process of de-activating its X account starting April 10.
It will alert its 8,300 X followers that it will no longer post on the platform and direct them to the CRD website and other social-media channels.
The CRD primarily used X to deliver public notices and alerts.
A staff report said the time and resources required to monitor and respond to X could be better allocated to more effective communication channels, like web notices and updates on other social-media platforms.
“By focusing on these more controlled and reliable methods, the CRD can ensure that its messages are accurately conveyed and that public information sharing, and engagement remains constructive and meaningful,” it said.
The CRD has also started to monitor Bluesky as a potential alternative. Bluesky was established in 2019 by Twitter founder Jack Dorsey and now has more than 27 million users.
The CRD currently has placeholder accounts with Bluesky, Threads which is owned by Facebook parent company Meta, and Mastadon, an open-sourced platform for social networking operated by a German non-profit.
Meanwhile, the City of Victoria has started activating additional social-media platforms with a goal of discontinuing posts on X. It now has accounts with Bluesky and Threads as alternative text-based platforms.
Victoria, which has about 66,000 followers on X, has used the platform for traffic advisories, weather alerts, news, emergency communications and information about city services.
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