Following [Elon Musk’s enigmatic appearance](https://mashable.com/video/jon-stewart-trump-inauguration-elon-musk-salute) at Donald Trump’s inauguration, an unexpected new chapter in online culture conflicts has begun: a rising effort among Reddit sports moderators and users to prohibit links to X (previously known as Twitter).
On Tuesday, conversations launched in various Reddit sports forums — originating with [r/hockey](https://www.reddit.com/r/hockey/comments/1i6h6sm/can_we_ban_twitter_links_now/), a subreddit boasting 2.7 million members, and rapidly extending to Canadian hockey subreddits, Premier League discussions, and NFL groups. The discussion? Whether to cut ties with X completely. This proposal has received considerable backing from users in these areas.
The dissatisfaction driving this initiative arises from multiple factors associated with Musk’s oversight of X. These comprise the platform’s perceived leniency towards hate speech and far-right discourse, its progressively [user-hostile modifications](https://mashable.com/article/elon-musk-x-block-function-change) (such as necessitating non-logged-in users to establish accounts to view content), and, naturally, [Musk himself](https://www.reddit.com/r/hockey/comments/1i6h6sm/comment/m8c46pm/).
### Sports Subreddits at the Forefront
If it seems unexpected that sports-centric subreddits are leading this charge, [it truly shouldn’t be](https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/27/sports/sports-twitter-x-elon-musk.html). These communities flourish on user-contributed game highlights, many of which are referenced to X posts that an increasing number of users are unable to access. Moreover, sports news has typically emerged on X, yet with the advent of alternatives like Threads and Bluesky, many Reddit users are motivated to investigate other avenues.
This isn’t the initial instance of users contemplating departure from X. There have been several appeals for transitioning to alternative platforms, particularly following the U.S. election. For instance, [thousands of accounts](https://mashable.com/article/bluesky-post-election-user-growth-elon-musk-x) linked to journalism and politics have transitioned to Bluesky. Nevertheless, sports have remained a significant factor for many users in continuing to depend on X. This may be evolving, as professional teams and sports journalists — both nationally and locally — increasingly share updates on Bluesky, indicating a potential transformation in the platform’s significance for sports enthusiasts.
### Conflicting Views and Backlash
Not all sports subreddits are accepting the proposition of banning X links, and some have encountered backlash for even considering the idea. For instance, a moderator in the [r/Chelsea](https://www.reddit.com/r/chelseafc/comments/1i6hprq/proposal_to_ban_xcom_links/) subreddit has faced criticism for shutting down discussions advocating for an X ban, frustrating numerous community members. Likewise, subreddits for the Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings have been swift in deleting posts related to the topic, igniting further debate and dissatisfaction among users.
### A Gradual Yet Expanding Movement
While discussions are still in the initial phases, it remains uncertain how many subreddits will eventually update their community guidelines to prohibit X links. In most subreddits where the issue has been brought forth, moderators have highlighted comments regarding “internal discussions” about the future of X links.
That said, there has been some advancement. For instance, the subreddit for [Nottingham Forest](https://www.reddit.com/r/nffc/comments/1i6k2oz/rnffc_is_banning_direct_links_to_xtwitter/) has already prohibited direct links to X. Nonetheless, the overall momentum remains slow and fragmented, with no definitive agreement across the larger Reddit sports community.
As the discourse progresses, it’s clear that Musk’s contentious leadership of X is prompting more online communities to rethink their reliance on the platform. Whether this movement will achieve broad support or lose steam remains to be determined.