Journalists Are Leaving X Because Of Accountability, Not Censorship

In recent months, "journalists" and pundits like Jennifer Rubin, Rob Reiner, Keith Olbermann, Joy Reid, Don Lemon, Mara Gay, and even major outlets like The Guardian have turned their backs on X, opting to set up camp on alternative platforms like Bluesky. Others like Stephen King, Lizzo, Jaime Lee Curtis, and the so-called Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) have followed suit.

Their reasoning? They insist X has become a toxic cesspool where hate speech and misinformation run rampant, but many are skeptical. Instead, it seems that Elon Musk’s purchase of X has thrown an immovable wrench into the liberal media machine that once dominated the platform. For years, conservatives faced bans, shadowbans, and outright censorship on social media, while liberal voices thrived. Now, the tables have turned, and the other side of the aisle isn't handling it well.

The Reason Behind the Exodus

Before Musk purchased Twitter, social media giants operated like gatekeepers, deciding which voices were allowed to be heard. The rules were clear: go against the mainstream narrative, and you’d risk being deplatformed. We saw it with accounts questioning the efficacy of COVID-19 policies, election integrity, correctly stating that men are men and not women, or even posting a simple “learn to code” meme. Conservatives had to tread carefully or risk losing their accounts, while liberal journalists and influencers enjoyed a free pass to say whatever they wanted, no matter how inaccurate or deranged.

Enter Elon Musk. When Musk acquired X, he promised to restore free speech to the platform, and love him or hate him, he’s largely delivered on that promise. He did away with the arbitrary suspensions, reinstated banned accounts, and opened up the platform to a broader spectrum of opinions. Suddenly, the digital landscape wasn’t so comfortable for the left. Instead of being able to shout down their opponents and get them banned, they were now being challenged and—gasp—held accountable for the things they said.

That's why so many have packed up their digital bags and moved to platforms like Threads and Bluesky, where they hope to regain control of the conversation. But let’s be real—this isn’t about censorship. It’s about losing control.

A Return to the Comfort Zone

The irony of all this? While conservatives were genuinely forced to flee platforms like Twitter and Facebook due to actual deplatforming, liberals are fleeing because they’re finally being exposed to opposing viewpoints. It appears that many truly cannot handle their ideas questioned or mocked. Bluesky, with its invite-only model, has become a safe space where they can insulate themselves from the pesky conservatives who dare to challenge their talking points.

Many are claiming they're leaving X due to its lack of “content moderation," but remember that this is coming from the same crowd that was perfectly fine when conservative voices were suppressed during the 2020 election or when doctors were banned for questioning COVID lockdowns. Funny how content moderation only becomes an issue when it’s no longer working in their favor.

The Guardian, for example, one of the first major outlets to announce its departure from X, claimed that the platform had become a “toxic environment.” But let’s not forget how The Guardian and other outlets spent years using platforms like Twitter to push baseless political rhetoric that demonized conservatives which is arguably a pretty "toxic" way to shape public discourse. Now that they’ve lost their monopoly on the conversation, they’re crying foul.

Under Musk’s leadership, X has become a place where public figures can no longer expect a free pass. Journalists are now being called out for their bias, hypocrisy, and outright dishonesty. And they hate it. They can no longer simply label dissenters as “racist” or “misogynistic” to shut down debate. The blue checkmark class, which once wielded incredible power to control narratives, now has to answer for their words. The shift is powerful.

Conservatives Know This Game All Too Well

Conservatives had to create their own platforms like Parler, Rumble, and Truth Social because they were being actively silenced on social media. Remember when the New York Post’s bombshell Hunter Biden laptop story was suppressed right before the 2020 election? That’s what real censorship looks like. Or when The Babylon Bee was banned from Twitter for simply making a joke by naming Rachel Levine, an actual man, their "Man of the Year."

The list goes on. How about when YouTube demonetized conservative commentator Steven Crowder for criticizing left-wing policies? Or when Facebook locked out the Liberty University page, claiming “community standards violations” without any clear explanation? And let’s not forget the countless shadow bans on conservative voices like Ben Shapiro and Candace Owens, whose reach was mysteriously throttled anytime they posted content critical of mainstream narratives.

The censorship wasn’t just limited to high-profile accounts either—ordinary Americans questioning COVID policies, election integrity, or simply posting memes found themselves suspended or banned. That’s why platforms like Rumble and Gettr exploded in popularity, giving those silenced by Big Tech a place to speak freely.

Now, the liberals are throwing a tantrum, not because they’re being subjected to the same level of unfair scrutiny and biased censorship. It's because they've lost the power to silence and cancel others. And instead of adapting to this new reality, they’re retreating to echo chambers like Bluesky, where they can pat each other on the back and pretend that the world outside their bubble doesn’t exist.

It’s About Control, Not Censorship

At the end of the day, what we’re witnessing isn’t a mass migration due to censorship, moderation, or toxicity, but a desperate attempt to avoid accountability. The liberal media and their allies are used to having the final say, and now that they don’t, they’re packing up and leaving.

The era of one-sided control over the narrative is finally crumbling, and Musk deserves major credit for leveling the playing field. For the first time in years, social media is starting to feel like a genuine marketplace of ideas—where open debate, not censorship, decides the conversation. And those who can’t handle the heat? They’re free to retreat to their “safe spaces” on other platforms...until, of course, they encounter even a hint of dissent there, too.

The rest of us? We’re here for the new era of free speech.

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