Donegal County Council agrees to wind down use of social media platform X

Donegal County Council will withdraw from the social media platform X.

Official council X accounts will wind down on a gradual basis in the coming months. This comes in response to a motion from Independent Cllr Micheál Choilm Mac Giolla Easbuig at the council’s January plenary meeting. 

Cllr Mac Giolla Easbuig asked that the council “immediately deletes all of its official accounts on X (formerly Twitter) and ceases any future official use of the platform and issue a public statement to outline same.”

His motion was brought forward in light of recent widespread condemnation of Grok AI, a tool embedded in X, as it emerged that the tool was being used to create abusive images, including of children.

“X has become a platform where the sexual abuse and exploitation of children and adults is widely reported and insufficiently addressed,” explained Cllr Mac Giolla Easbuig. “As a public body with a duty of care, the Council should not maintain a presence on, or lend credibility to, a platform that fails to adequately protect users from such harm.

“The Council should instead use other communication channels that better align with its safeguarding responsibilities and public values.”

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Cllr Mac Giolla Easbuig also raised concerns about “far-right fascist ideology” being spread on the platform.

Independent Cllr Declan Meehan seconded the motion, agreeing that it raised “very serious concerns about public safety, trust in information and the values that Donegal County Council should represent”.

“I think anybody looking at this motion and taking it for face value will realise that this is not about restricting free speech, it’s about whether a public authority and a public body should continue to endorse and amplify a platform that no longer meets basic standards of safety, accountability and reliability,” he said.

Cllr Meehan highlighted that reports have shown that safety moderation systems on X have been reduced rather than strengthened.

“Survivors and advocacy groups have repeatedly raised concerns that harmful content often remains online for extended periods, even after being reported,” he said. “As a public body, Donegal County Council has a duty of care and responsibility not to legitimise or support platforms where such serious harms are insufficiently addressed.

Cllr Meehan added that there are “plenty of alternative channels” that the council could use to communicate with the public.

However, 100% Redress Cllr Ali Farren said that while he understood the “principle” of the motion, X provides a “fast way to communicate” to the 13,000 followers on the main council account.

“To me, it’s a vital tool for people to see what’s going on in Donegal,” he said. “The #LoveDonegal Day, how many thousands of people does that get to when we put it out? We use it as a tool to promote this county.”

In response to the motion, Mr Richard Gibson, Director of Finance, Corporate Services and Information Systems said that the council’s reliance on X “has reduced significantly”. He added that Facebook is currently Donegal County Council’s most used social media platform.

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Mr Gibson said that time would need to be allowed for an exit strategy to close down official accounts and direct users to other platforms. In addition to the council’s main X account, there are several X accounts set up to promote individual council sections, including Local Enterprise Offices, libraries, the County Museum and diaspora.

Mr Gibson said that it is “feasible” for the council to cease use of X, and cited other Irish bodies and agencies that have recently done the same including Dublin City Council, Kilkenny County Council, Swim Ireland, The National Women’s Council and The Irish Refugee Council.

“We are not alone in divesting ourselves of X at this time,” he said. 

The response was widely welcomed by council members and the motion was passed.