After careful and principled consideration, Southall Black Sisters (SBS) has taken the decision to leave X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.
This is not a symbolic gesture. It is a political and ethical refusal to participate in a platform that has become a conduit for misogyny, racism, disinformation, and the normalisation of violence – particularly violence against women and girls (VAWG). X increasingly facilitates the spread of dehumanising narratives that target marginalised communities and, in doing so, creates conditions that enable real-world harm. We will not be complicit in this.
We are unequivocal: VAWG is not an unfortunate by-product of online spaces – it is being actively enabled by them. These harms fall most heavily on women and children from Black, minoritised, and migrant communities, the very communities SBS has worked alongside for over four decades. A platform that tolerates, amplifies, or profits from such abuse stands in direct opposition to our values and our mission.
The recent misuse of X’s AI chatbot, Grok, to generate and circulate non-consensual sexualised images of women and children (BBC, 2026) starkly illustrates their endemic misogyny. The platform’s initial response – restricting this capability to fee-paying subscribers – did not constitute safeguarding. It was a commercial workaround that avoided accountability, trivialised gender-based violence, and signalled a profound disregard for women’s safety. While the full impact of emerging developments remains to be seen, the absence of timely and robust protections leaves us unconvinced that the platform treats VAWG with the seriousness it warrants, sending a clear message that abuse is acceptable so long as it is profitable. This environment actively silences women, deters political participation, and reinforces misogynistic norms that extend well beyond the digital sphere.
Under Elon Musk’s ownership, far-right and fascist ideologies have been allowed to flourish and be rebranded as legitimate political discourse. This has had grave consequences in the UK and internationally (The Guardian, 2025; NBC News, 2025; Sky News, 2025). X’s algorithm and the dismantling of moderation safeguards have created fertile ground for misinformation and hate. Following the 2024 Southport murders, the platform amplified false and inflammatory content, fuelling anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim narratives that contributed directly to fear, violence, and unrest in parts of the UK (Amnesty International, 2025). This is not neutral technology – it’s political infrastructure, and it is being wielded irresponsibly.
In this context, leaving X is an act of resistance. SBS refuses to lend credibility, content, or engagement to a platform that systematically undermines the safety and dignity of the communities we serve. Our commitment has always been to victim-survivors. We will not remain in a space where their lived realities are dismissed, distorted, or erased, and where abuse is allowed to thrive.
We call on the UK government to move beyond mere recognition of online harms to meaningful, sustained action that confronts structural violence and unequal impacts online. While recent policy efforts, including the Online Safety Act, signal an acknowledgement of these issues, the reality on the ground remains deeply concerning – particularly for women and girls from Black, minoritised, and migrant communities who continue to experience disproportionate levels of abuse, silencing, and exclusion. We urge the government to work in genuine partnership with SBS and the communities we serve to ensure that online spaces are safe, accountable and equitable – where protections are not just theoretical, but real, enforceable, and grounded in the lived experiences of those most harmed. We further call on policymakers to actively resist attempts by far-right and fascist actors to exploit online platforms for political influence and legitimacy, and to reaffirm an unwavering commitment to public safety, human rights, and equality for all.
We encourage everyone unsettled by X’s harmful environment to also walk away and engage in constructive alternative spaces for discussion.
SBS will continue to engage with communities on other platforms:
We remain fully committed to supporting victim-survivors through our helpline (020 8571 0800) and via our website: southallblacksisters.org.uk.
