Cherwell quits X – but hasn’t decided if it will delete its account
15/01/2026
The Council may still use the platform for “very occasional emergency posts”
by Esme Kenney, Local Democracy Reporter
A district council in Oxfordshire has announced it will no longer be posting on social media platform X due to the use of AI chatbot Grok and the rise in “online hate speech and abuse targeting women and girls”.
The site, formerly known as Twitter, has faced backlash over the use of the AI chatbot Grok to create and share sexualised images of children, with Ofcom launching an investigation into whether it breached UK law.
Cherwell District Council has confirmed that due to these reports, it will no longer routinely post on X, while other councils said they were reducing their use of the sites.
Councillor Chris Brant, Cherwell’s portfolio holder for corporate services, said: “The council is deeply concerned about the rise in online hate speech and abuse targeting women and girls.
“X has unfortunately become a focal point for this activity, and we welcome Ofcom’s decision to investigate the platform under the Online Safety Act.
“We regularly review the council’s social media channels to ensure they are effective and reflect our commitments to community safety, equality, diversity, and inclusion.
“Recently, we have noticed X has become less effective at engaging with our residents and has created a less safe environment for local communities.
“Given recent developments, we can confirm that we will no longer be routinely posting on the X platform.”
He said the council has been posting less frequently on X and started using other channels such as Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky and Threads.
“When social media is well regulated and moderated, it can be a positive and useful way for public bodies to engage with residents and audiences,” he added.
A spokesperson added the council is considering whether to close or deactivate the account, or whether to retain it for monitoring purposes and “very occasional emergency posts”.
A spokesperson said: “As a public body we would need to consider the risk of possibly being impersonated if we deleted the account completely.”
The council has also changed its biography to say it is no longer posting on X, and pinned a tweet with links to its profile on other platforms.
In December, the leader of Oxfordshire County Council Liz Leffman said she would ask the communications team to “review urgently” the suitability of X due to Elon Musk’s use of the platform.
When contacted for further comment, the county council said the review was “ongoing but due to conclude shortly”.
Oxford City Council, South Oxfordshire District Council and Vale of White Horse District Council said they would retain their accounts, but they had been reducing their use of the site for some time.
Oxfordshire MPs Layla Moran, Freddie van Mierlo and Charlie Maynard have confirmed that they will no longer post on X.
West Oxfordshire District Council was contacted for comment.
Published: by the Banbury FM News Team
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