Many people I know and respect still use X, and I can't figure out why.

In January of 2025, I walked away from X after Elon Musk's Nazi salutes.

I went to Bluesky, but after the initial migration of millions of people, the platform fell flat for me – and I've stopped using it for the most part.

Truth be told, I missed the old Twitter. So, I started to use it again around November 2025 to keep up to date with my interests. I intereacted with some folks but mostly just kept to myself, evaluating whether I'd stay.

I soon got my answer, as it wasn't long until I was reminded why I left in the first place.

I've shut it back down for good.

Friends Still Using It

I know for a fact that many of my friends are still using X daily simply for the engagement.

For those whom I know are Democrats or anti-Trump/Musk, this deeply confuses me. I don't understand why, or how, they can continue to use it. Sure, they've built a following (I also did after a decade of use), but are bot followers really worth showing support for a Nazi?

Because let's be clear: continuing to use X means that Musk's actions do not bother you, or at least not enough to walk away.

An Analogy

Let's say you like to go to your local farmer's market to buy fresh produce. As you walk through the market, there are several farmers selling fruits and vegetables. Out of habit, you always go to the tent of Farmer John.

Farmer John has good produce. Some of it is rotten, but not all the time. The helping hands at the tent are friendly, and you know each other on a first-name basis at this point. You enjoy supporting Farmer John because you like the experience of going to his tent, and you've known him for years.

Then one day, you hear that Farmer John was at a local farmer's gathering and gave not just one, but two Nazi salutes.

“It can't be,” you think to yourself. But you go online, and sure enough, you see him give a salute, turn around, wait a second, and give another salute to the people behind him.

You're not a neo-Nazi, and everything you know about them makes you sick. It's not who you are at your core.

The next week, you go to the farmer's market. You see Farmer John's tent, and right next to it, Farmer Bill's tent. His tent has fewer people, but more or less the same produce. As you walk closer, you have a decision to make. Do you shop at Farmer John's? Or do you get the same produce right next to his tent?

The Dilemma

Look, I also understand the dilemma this creates. For some, X is how they market their products and services (and it works). Leaving it means cutting off a portion of their income stream.

For others that are more politically involved, they feel it is important to stay on the platform to counter the far-right rhetoric.

You Have Other Options

I'll be honest: there is no X replacement, and that's the hard part. It's probably why many people stick around. Engagement across the topics is still very good (not just politics), and you can effectively create filters so that you don't see any political news.

As of today, the major options are:

• Bluesky – It's very active politically, but not the greatest for business or professional topics. The user experience is the closest to Twitter that I've come across. It's pretty good for sharing images, similar to Instagram. Check out the Flashes App. I don't use it much anymore because interaction on topics I care about is virtually zero.

• Mastodon – Very active in the political landscape, but also in things like open-source software, privacy, security, photography, and more. It's harder to find your niche, but the community is pretty cool. The problem is that the experience isn't as intuitive. I use the free Elk app on my web browser, and the Mona app on my phone to improve the UI. Interaction is pretty good as well, but it does feel a bit more impersonal at times.

• Threads – If you don't mind using another Zuckerberg product, then Threads might be a viable option. I've read mixed reviews. Some say it's toxic in ways similar to X, while others enjoy the experience. I've never used it, so I can't say first-hand. I'm staying away because I already use FB, IG, and WhatsApp and I can't stomach more Zuckerberg in my life.

• LinkedIn – I like it a lot for posts related to my professional areas of interest, like edtech and e-learning . I've been posting a a lot more on these topics, and I'm getting some solid engagement, having interesting conversations, and connecting with like-minded people. I think it has had a bit of a resurgance in the past couple of years given what has happened on X as I know some people, like me, who migrated to it.

Your Actions Speak Loudly

At the end of the day, if you're still using X, then please know that you're voting in favor of the platform and Musk with your time, the most precious resource that you have.

It may seem like quitting X is too hard. Maybe you'd lose money (temporarily). Or perhaps you are sticking around because of habit. Or, you see someone you respect, and they are still using it, so you figure it's not so bad that you're using it too.

I didn't want to leave X, but I felt like I had to. I promise, it's not as hard as you think on the other side.

#personal