While Elon Musk frequently asserts that X is reaching new usage highs, recent data contradicts these claims, revealing a significant drop in user engagement, especially in the U.S. and U.K. This decline appears to be partly driven by Musk’s divisive political commentary on the platform.
In the U.K., daily active users have plummeted from 8 million a year ago to around 5.6 million, with a substantial portion of this decrease occurring since the summer riots. Musk’s controversial post, claiming that 'civil war is inevitable”' in the U.K., is believed to have contributed to this exodus. A similar trend is occurring in the U.S., where the platform's active users have dropped by about 20% over the past 16 months, according to reports.
The decline in user numbers is not limited to the U.K. and U.S. The platform has also seen a 5% drop in its EU user base during the first half of 2024, as reported under its EU transparency obligations. The platform remains banned in Brazil, where it has an additional 20 million users.
Despite these downward trends, Musk continues to claim that X is 'trending up,' often relying on selective metrics. For example, Musk has stated that X has become the number one news app in various regions. The platform has been classified as a 'news' app since 2016, allowing it to rank higher than traditional news apps, but its core function as a social media platform remains unchanged.
Musk now uses 'user seconds' as a performance metric for X.
The reporting parameters have shifted since X’s rebranding, suggesting that the reported increase in usage may not reflect the full picture. As the platform adjusts its measurement criteria, it becomes difficult to verify the accuracy of Musk’s claims regarding the platform’s growth.
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