View Royal has deactivated its X account due to concerns about "misinformation" and how the social media company manages user data.
The move, which the town announced on Jan. 29, came at the direction of Mayor Sid Tobias, who said he is concerned about X's owner Elon Musk using the platform to "amplify misinformation concerning the acquisition of Canada as the 51st state and the imposition of tariffs on Canada."
In an email to Black Press, Tobias referred to a Feb. 3 video, in which President Donald Trump referenced trade and the possible annexation of Canada.
“Look, what I’d like to see: Canada become our 51st state,” he said. “Why are we willing to lose between $100 billion and $200 billion a year? We don’t need them. As a state, it’s different.”
Tobias also made claims about how X manages user data.
“They may sell the data at any time to anyone,” he said. “That data can then be used to target users during elections at all levels of government or used with AI to develop algorithms to target the folks following your account. Location data, preferences, what followers liked or did not, all is sold to whomever wants to buy it, including foreign influence.”
View Royal has opted to use Bluesky – a platform similar to X, created by Twitter’s former CEO Jack Dorsey – to connect with its residents instead.
“Bluesky is safer than X for data because it uses a decentralized network, giving users more control over their information, while X is a centralized platform that collects and monetizes user data,” said Tobias.
The town will also continue to post important information on its website and engagement platform engage.viewroyal.ca. It still runs a Facebook page, too.
“The open nature of X provides equal footing for misinformation [and] polarization, leading to challenges in constructive conversation,” said Tobias. "I would ask all of us to really consider what we are consuming and using on a regular basis."
