Several celebrities have announced their decision to leave X (formerly known as Twitter) since the social media platform was acquired by Elon Musk in October 2022.
President-elect Donald Trump’s recent appointment of the SpaceX founder as the new head of the Department of Government Efficiency—alongside entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy—has sparked a new exodus, as artists express concerns about the platform losing its independence and serving the interests of a political party.
On November 15, Elon changed the company’s terms and service, requiring that disputes between users and X must be “brought exclusively in the US District Court for the Northern District of Texas, or state courts located in Tarrant County, Texas,” which the Washington Post described as “a hub for conservatives.”
Citing increasing hate speech and misinformation on the platform, many stars have migrated to Bluesky, an alternative network that follows X’s microblogging model.
Here are some of the celebrities who have said goodbye to X over the past two years.
Gigi Hadid
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Gigi left X in 2022, the same year that Elon acquired the platform.
“For a long time, but especially with its new leadership, it’s becoming more and more of a cesspool of hate & bigotry, and its not a place I want to be a part of,” the model wrote on Instagram, adding that she can’t say X “is a safe place for anyone nor a social media platform that will do more good than harm.”
Jim Carrey
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The actor and comedian announced he would quit X in 2022 by posting a cartoon of a naked lighthouse keeper.
“I’m leaving Twitter, but 1st here’s a cartoon I made with my friend Jimmy Hayward. It’s based on my painting of a crazy old Lighthouse Keeper, standing naked in a storm, summoning the angels and shining his lamp to guide us through a treacherous night. I love you all so much!”
Elton John
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Image credits: eltonofficial
“All my life I’ve tried to use music to bring people together. Yet it saddens me to see how misinformation is now being used to divide our world,” Elton wrote in his final message on X in 2022.
“I’ve decided to no longer use Twitter, given their recent change in policy which will allow misinformation to flourish unchecked.”
Whoopi Goldberg
Image credits: TheView
.@WhoopiGoldberg says on #TheView that “as of tonight,” she’s “done with Twitter.”
“I’m going to get out, and if it settles down and I feel more comfortable, maybe I’ll come back.” https://t.co/cVclFZQmjA pic.twitter.com/0Ih9fp9yHG
— The View (@TheView) November 7, 2022
The Color Purple actress described X as simply “a mess.”
“It has been a little over a week since Elon Musk took over Twitter and the place is — it’s a mess… I’m going to get out, and if it settles down and I feel more comfortable, maybe I’ll come back,” she said on The View in 2022. (Her account remains deactivated as of November 20, 2024.)
Jamie Lee Curtis
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The Oscar winner announced her departure from the platform by sharing a screenshot of her account deactivation on Instagram. She wrote, “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change. Courage to change the things I can. And the wisdom to know the difference.”
Bette Midler
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The four-time Golden Globe winner deactivated her account after Donald Trump won the election.
Before Trump was announced the winner, Bette shared a photo of a bottle of champagne with a sticky note on it that read “If Kamala wins,” and a bottle of Drano drain cleaner with a note that read “If Trump wins.”
Guillermo del Toro
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The Mexican filmmaker said his account will “stay mostly unused” and encouraged his fans to follow him on Bluesky instead.
Mark Hamill
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The Star Wars actor, who voiced his criticism of Donald Trump on the platform throughout his race to the White House, has also joined the “Xodus.”
In a post on Bluesky, Mark wrote, “I’ve fled [Elon’s] site for bluer skies. I’m sure I’ll be called an #Ex-X, but personally, I’ll always consider myself a #TwitterQuitter.”
Shonda Rhimes
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The Shondaland creator, who produced series like Grey’s Anatomy and Bridgerton, wrote in her final X message, “Not hanging around for whatever Elon has planned. Bye.”
Gabrielle Union
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In an X post titled “The end of an era,” the actress explained why she chose to stop using the platform. “There are pivotal moments in life when we must declare that enough is enough — and for me, today is that day.
“Platforms like X were founded on authentic connections, true engagement, and creative expressions, all anchored in respect for user privacy and trust. Yet, with the recent and upcoming changes to the terms of service—and the return of volatile figures—I find myself at a crossroads, facing a direction I can no longer fully support.
“I am committed to engaging in spaces that truly value inclusivity, respect, and integrity in the digital world. Sometimes, that means recognizing that last straw and knowing when to step away.”
Téa Leoni
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The Madam Secretary star announced that her decision to leave the social media platform stemmed from the growing hatred she observed among users.
“I’m coming off Twitter today — let’s see where we are when the dust settles. Today the dust has revealed too much hate, too much in the wrong direction. Love, kindness, and possibilities for all of you.”
Jack White
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Sharing a screenshot of a news article about Elon Musk restoring Donald Trump’s X account, the singer called the move “absolutely disgusting.”
Trump was originally removed from the platform following the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack but was reinstated after Elon acquired it.
“So you gave Trump his twitter platform back. Absolutely disgusting, Elon. That is officially an a**hole move,” Jack wrote on Instagram.
“Why don’t you be truthful? Tell it like it is; people like you and Joe Rogan (who gives platforms to liars like alex jones etc.); you come into a ton of money, see the tax bill, despise paying your fair share, and then think moving to Texas and supporting whatever republican you can is going to help you keep more of your money. (How else could trump possibly interest you?)”
Sara Bareilles
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Sara shared her final post in 2022. Her last message reads: “Welp. It’s been fun Twitter. I’m out. See you on other platforms, peeps. Sorry, this one’s just not for me.”
George Monbiot
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The British journalist announced that he has joined Bluesky and that he plans to stop using his X account on January 20, 2025, the day Donald Trump is scheduled to be sworn in as the 47th president of the United States.
“One thing I’m very much appreciating on BlueSky is what we once had on Twitter: reasoned disagreement, as opposed to the tsunami of wilful idiocy here, which crushes real debate. I don’t want an echo chamber. But nor do I want this bedlam,” George wrote.
“To my lovely freinds [sic] and followers here: I hope this will not be goodbye, but just hello in another, and better place.”
Don Lemon
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The former CNN host believes that the Elon Musk-owned platform has changed the fundamental aspects that made it appealing in the beginning.
“I’ve loved connecting with all of you on X, but it’s time for me to leave the platform,” he wrote. “I once believed it was a place for honest debate and discussion, transparency, and free speech, but I now feel it does not serve that purpose.”
Don mentioned that X’s new terms of service policy influenced his decision.
Toni Braxton
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“I’m shocked and appalled at some of the ‘free speech’ I’ve seen on this platform since its acquisition,” the seven-time Grammy winner wrote in 2022.
“Hate speech under the veil of ‘free speech’ is unacceptable; therefore I am choosing to stay off Twitter as it is no longer a safe space for myself, my sons and other POC.”
Greg Davies
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The Inbetweeners actor and Taskmaster host wrote in his last message, “Hello all, I’ll be leaving X in the next few days. Thanks for the lovely messages over the years,” though he did not explain what motivated his decision.
The Guardian
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“We think that the benefits of being on X are now outweighed by the negatives and that resources could be better used promoting our journalism elsewhere,” the British newspaper stated on November 13.
“This is something we have been considering for a while given the often disturbing content promoted or found on the platform, including far-right conspiracy theories and racism.
“The U.S. presidential election campaign served only to underline what we have considered for a long time: that X is a toxic media platform and that its owner, Elon Musk, has been able to use its influence to shape political discourse.”
Jameela Jamil
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The Good Place actress quit the platform with a lighthearted message, writing, “One good thing about Elon buying twitter is that I will *FINALLY* leave and stop being a complete menace to society on here. So it’s win win for you all really.”
Barbra Streisand
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Barbra announced her #TwittterExodus in her last X post, shared on November 14, writing, “Effective immediately, any comments I post will be on Bluesky.”
People on social media shared their views on the celebrity “Xodus”
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