The Bathroom Manufacturers Association (BMA) has closed its accounts on X/Twitter, following a series of recent controversial statements from its owner, Elon Musk.
In a statement released online, the BMA said: “Today, the BMA closed all its accounts on the X platform.
“In the last fortnight, we have been dismayed to see X used to ferment violence and hatred in the United Kingdom, including the active spread of disinformation. X’s owner has gleefully participated in this misinformation, claimed our country is on course for civil war, and legitimised the illegal activity of thugs.
“The same week, X’s owner pursued legal action to bully several corporations into advertising on his platform. The freedom of speech that X’s owner claims to promote includes the freedom to disassociate from behaviour and views that we find abhorrent, a right we exercise.
“Our decision to leave X is straightforward. We are prioritising other, safer, and more meaningful communication channels to stay in touch with our members and stakeholders.”
In a post on LinkedIn, BMA chief executive, Tom Reynolds, further explained: “BMA is a tiny organisation, so we understand our action is unlikely to trouble Mr Musk. Nevertheless, we believe this is the right course of action.”
In the wake of the violence and riots that have engulfed the UK in recent weeks, many have accused social media of making the situation worse, especially for its role in helping to spread misinformation.
X/Twitter owner Elon Musk has been widely criticised for personally sharing disinformation about the situation in the UK. He posted (and then deleted) a fake Telegraph article that claimed convicted rioters would be sent to detention camps in the Falkland Islands. He also said that “civil war is inevitable” in the UK and Northern Ireland, and that Kier Starmer and the government’s response to protesters has been “one-sided”.
In related news, a company director working in the KBB sector has already appeared in court over his role in the recent riots, and is accused of threatening police officers and causing unrest.