St. Pauli Leaves 'X' to Battle Hate Speech Influence in German Elections

German soccer club St. Pauli is quitting social media platform X, criticizing it as a 'hate machine' affecting politics. The club urges followers to join Bluesky, an alternative network. St. Pauli accuses owner Elon Musk of amplifying hate and fears influence on future German elections.

St. Pauli, a prominent German soccer club known for its leftist stance, has announced it will leave the social media platform X, voicing concerns over its role as a 'hate machine' that could sway German elections.

The club from Hamburg, with substantial followership, claims that under Elon Musk's ownership, X has devolved into a space that fosters hate and misinformation, affecting public debate and political landscapes.

St. Pauli is calling on its 250,000 followers to migrate to Bluesky, a competing network. The pivotal move follows similar actions by media outlets like The Guardian, highlighting a backlash against the platform's perceived role in promoting extremism and manipulation.

(With inputs from agencies.)