The State of X in 2025: What Communicators Need to Know

This page offers a detailed look at the current state of X (formerly Twitter) in mid-2025. It explores trends in usage, journalism, safety, content moderation, and professional communication. If you’re trying to decide whether X is still worth your time, or your organisation’s, this research-based overview will help you make a more informed choice.

📊 Usage Trends and Audience Demographics

Global usage is declining. As of early 2025, X had an estimated 586 million users worldwide (down 5.3% from the previous year), with U.S. daily active users dropping by 8.4% (DataReportal).
Skewed demographics. The platform's audience is overwhelmingly male (64%) and young, with the 25–34 age group forming the largest segment (DataReportal USA).
Ideological and cultural shift. Under Elon Musk's ownership, the user base has become more politically right-leaning and polarised, while progressive users have largely drifted to other platforms (Pew Research).

📰 Role in Breaking News and Journalism

Still essential for journalists. Despite disillusionment, 82% of prominent U.S. journalists still maintain active X accounts. Three-quarters of left-leaning and 87% of right-leaning influencers use it (Pew Research).
Real-time updates remain unrivalled. X continues to be a vital source of first-hand updates during major events, elections, and crises.
Trust erosion. The removal of meaningful verification and the spread of impersonation have made X a less trusted source overall.

⚠️ Content Moderation and Safety Issues

Hate speech is up. Academic studies show a 50% spike in hate speech since Musk’s takeover, with persistent high levels (Berkeley News, PLOS One).
Moderation gutted. Musk dismantled the Trust & Safety Council and reinstated previously banned accounts. Policy enforcement is inconsistent.
Misinformation thrives. X had the highest ratio of disinformation among major platforms during recent conflicts, according to EU researchers (Euronews).

🧰 Tools for Filtering and Curation

Two main feeds. Users can toggle between the "For You" algorithmic feed and the chronological "Following" feed. The latter is more controllable.
Mute and block. Still available but weakened — Musk has proposed removing or reducing block functionality (Phys.org).
No advanced AI filtering. Content curation is user-driven, relying on lists, muting, blocking, and careful timeline use.

🧑‍💼 Influence on Professional Communication

Advertiser confidence plummeted. X lost major advertisers over brand safety concerns. A 98% drop in spend from top advertisers occurred between 2023 and 2024 (Fast Company).
Brand use varies. Some companies remain cautiously active; others have scaled back or left completely. Lush cited X’s environment as incompatible with their values (The Guardian).
Thought leaders are cautious. Many professionals now post selectively or shift focus to LinkedIn, Mastodon, or newsletters.

✅ Summary Takeaways

X is smaller, louder, and more polarised than it was two years ago.
It remains critical for news discovery, especially in real-time contexts.
Trust, safety, and civility are persistent concerns.
Communicators should evaluate their goals and risk-tolerance before engaging.

🔗 Full List of References

This analysis, conducted with the help of ChatGPT Plus 4o using the 'Run deep research' tool, supports my post "Reconsidering X: Is It Time to Tune Back In?" – a personal reflection on whether and how to engage with X again in a changing media environment. It was published on 23 June 2025.