EFF Leaves X, Saying Posts Now Get Less Than 3% of the Views Tweets Got 7 Years Ago
The Electronic Frontier Foundation — one of the internet's most prominent digital rights organizations — has announced it is leaving X (formerly Twitter). The reason is stark: "X is no longer where the fight is happening," and data shows an X post now gets less than 3% of the views a tweet received seven years ago.
Why the EFF Is Leaving
The EFF's departure is both practical and symbolic. The organization, founded in 1990 to defend civil liberties in the digital world, had been one of the most active and influential voices on Twitter for over a decade. Their decision to leave represents a judgment that the platform has deteriorated beyond usefulness for advocacy.
The 3% engagement figure is devastating. If an organization that once reached millions through tweets is now reaching a fraction of that audience, the platform's value as a communication tool has fundamentally collapsed.
What Happened to X
Since Elon Musk's acquisition of Twitter in October 2022 and its rebranding to X, the platform has experienced:
- Massive audience erosion: Engagement has plummeted across nearly all categories
- Advertiser exodus: Major brands pulled spending due to content moderation concerns
- Algorithm changes: The algorithmic timeline increasingly promotes paid content over organic posts
- Verification confusion: The paid blue check system undermined trust signals
- Creator migration: Prominent voices have moved to Bluesky, Threads, Mastodon, and other platforms
A Symbolic Moment
The EFF leaving X carries symbolic weight beyond its practical impact. When one of the internet's founding advocacy organizations decides a platform is no longer worth being on, it signals something fundamental about where online discourse is heading.
This comes as AI platforms like ChatGPT are emerging as new discovery channels, potentially replacing social media as the primary way people find content and information.
Where Is the Fight Now?
The EFF hasn't specified which platforms it will prioritize, but the broader trend is clear: digital advocacy is fragmenting across multiple platforms, direct channels (email, blogs), and emerging AI interfaces. The era of a single dominant public square — which Twitter represented for over a decade — appears to be over.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the EFF leaving X?
The EFF says X is "no longer where the fight is happening" and that posts now get less than 3% of the views tweets received seven years ago, making the platform ineffective for digital rights advocacy.
What is the EFF?
The Electronic Frontier Foundation is a leading nonprofit digital rights organization founded in 1990. It defends civil liberties in the digital world including privacy, free speech, and innovation.
How much has X engagement declined?
According to the EFF, an X post now receives less than 3% of the views a tweet got seven years ago — a roughly 97% decline in organic reach.