Falkirk Council looks likely to end the use of the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) as engagement has plummeted while there are fears that misinformation is being shared on the site .

The council has used Twitter as a corporate communications channel for around 18 years and had built up a following of around 48,000, using it to provide real-time updates when services were disrupted and information during severe weather and emergencies.

However, a recent motion by Falkirk Council raised concerns about “governance, content moderation, and safety on X” and called for a report on the use of the platform and what the implications would be if the council was to stop using it.

Labour councillor Siobhan Paterson, who proposed the motion in March, said that in recent years “the culture of the platform has changed significantly”, following the takeover by Elon Musk.

Falkirk Council looks likely to axe its X social media account. Pic: Contributed

placeholder image — Falkirk Council looks likely to axe its X social media account. Pic: Contributed

She was particularly appalled at reports that “Twitter’s AI was used to create non-consensual images of women and children”.

The officers’ report now being presented to councillors agrees that there are “increasing concerns about the levels of misinformation and reduced content moderation”, with changes to verification systems that have made it more difficult to distinguish credible sources.

The report, which will go to the council’s executive this month, says that engagement with the council’s X account has “declined significantly over the past three years”.

Changes to algorithms, paid verification and moderation have altered how content is distributed, which has reduced the visibility of public sector messaging.

It notes: “Current posts generate little or no meaningful interactions. Recent posts have seen less than 500 views and less than 20 engagements.”

The report also notes that analysis undertaken two years ago showed that around 80 per cent of the Council’s then followers were no longer active on the platform.

Another 10,000 followers have been removed from the council’s account in the past year by X, reducing the site’s reach even further.

Officers now recommend ending the use of X for routine communications and retaining it only for use in community emergencies.

The report will be discussed at a meeting of Falkirk Council’s executive on Thursday, May 21 at 10 am in Grangemouth Community Education Unit, Abbots Road. It will also be livestreamed on Falkirk Council’s YouTube channel.