FC St. Pauli Quits X Over Hate Speech

German soccer club FC St. Pauli has announced its withdrawal from the social media platform X, citing concerns that it has become a 'hate machine' under Elon Musk's ownership, which could influence upcoming German elections. The club criticized the platform for allowing unchecked racism and conspiracy theories, along with a lack of sanctions for insults and threats, framing these issues as a distortion of free speech. St. Pauli, known for its left-leaning ideology, encouraged its 250,000 followers to migrate to Bluesky, a rival platform founded by former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey. The club's statement highlighted the potential for X to manipulate public discourse in light of the upcoming snap elections in Germany. This decision aligns with a broader trend of media organizations, including The Guardian, distancing themselves from X due to its troubling content. The club emphasized that while they will cease using the platform, their previous posts will remain accessible for historical context.