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Universities draw conclusions: withdrawal from X as a sign of diversity!
The University of Hohenheim and 120 other institutions have withdrawn from Network X to promote diversity and integrity.
Universities draw conclusions: withdrawal from X as a sign of diversity!
In January 2025, the University of Hohenheim stopped communicating on Platform X, following a growing movement among academic institutions known as “WissXit.” Over uni-hohenheim.de Numerous universities and research institutes report that around 120 institutions have now joined in order to promote the values of diversity, freedom and scientific integrity.
Understanding a public appeal as the initiator of the movement sheds light on the increasing concern about social developments on the platform. The criticism of X expressed by many universities follows primarily from the perception of increased radicalization and the spread of hate speech and false information. This is also underlined by the Heinrich Heine University of Düsseldorf, which initiated the discussion about abandoning X. This initiative and its reasons were also discussed dutchbullion.de treated in detail.
Reasons for leaving
The decision to leave X stems from serious concerns about the platform. According to the universities, the use of X is no longer compatible with the basic values of cosmopolitanism, academic integrity and transparent communication. The influence of right-wing populist content and algorithmic distortions is a central point of criticism. The conversation between Elon Musk and AfD leader Alice Weidel, which included false claims about migration and Nazi issues, reinforces this sense of danger.
The universities see their academic reputation threatened and by using this platform they risk not meeting their high standards. The German Research Foundation (DFG) and the Leibniz Association have also announced their withdrawal to instead use alternative social networks such as mastodon or Bluesky to communicate.
Alternative communication channels
The shift to decentralized social media shows that many universities are also looking for new ways to communicate. The “#WissXit” initiative encourages institutions to communicate more effectively and in a more targeted manner by emphasizing ways such as their own websites, newsletters or the use of other platforms. The approximately 60 universities affected include numerous well-known institutions, including the Free University of Berlin, the Humboldt University, the Goethe University Frankfurt and the Technical University of Darmstadt.
The list of resignations also includes important organizations such as the DAAD, the Science Council and the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation. These withdrawals are not just individual decisions, but part of a larger movement that wants to promote the culture of academic discussion again by relying on open and respectful communication channels.
In the long term, this development could even offer opportunities for universities to reach more authentic target groups and expand digital communication skills. The debate about the responsibility of social media has awakened and offers space for a more critical examination of the role of platforms like X in society.