**Why Prominent Accounts Are Departing Twitter/X**
If you’ve been browsing Twitter/X recently, you may have seen an unexpected surge of prominent accounts deciding to leave. And it’s not solely linked to the impending election.
This departure is largely triggered by a new [Terms of Service (ToS) document](https://x.com/en/tos), which [takes effect on November 15](https://www.pcmag.com/news/xs-new-rules-blocked-posts-will-no-longer-be-hidden-tweets-will-train-ai). While the company has been rather secretive, the revised ToS gives Elon Musk the authority to use your tweets, images, and videos for training his AI bot, Grok.
Although users now have the [choice to opt out of Grok training](https://mashable.com/article/how-to-op-out-x-twitter-grok-ai-chatbot-data-training), it remains uncertain whether this option will still be available once the new ToS is implemented. Even if it is, opting out might not provide substantial legal protection. The document lacks mention of any opt-out clauses, and it appears that even private accounts won’t be shielded from Grok’s data collection.
### Free Speech Comes at a Cost
In another contentious development, accessing over a million tweets daily will now incur a significant fee—$15,000 in damages. Although most casual users are unlikely to reach that limit, researchers monitoring hate speech or other trends on X might. The Knight Institute for the First Amendment at Columbia University has labeled this a [“troubling development”](https://knightcolumbia.org/content/knight-institute-says-xs-new-terms-of-service-will-stifle-independent-research) for a platform that purports to support free speech.
If you oppose any aspect of the new ToS or forthcoming modifications, your sole legal option is to take your case to a rural Texas court, far removed from X’s headquarters in Austin. This court has a history of siding with Musk, and the judge [may still have a stake in Tesla](https://www.npr.org/2024/10/16/g-s1-28620/texas-judge-elon-musk-x-case-tesla-shares), raising questions about fairness.
### Parting Ways with X
If you prefer Musk not to utilize your content to train his AI, the only foolproof method to prevent it is by deleting your account.
This is a significant move, especially if you’ve dedicated years curating a collection of tweets. You can [retrieve an archive of your tweets](https://mashable.com/article/download-tweet-archive-twitter-how-to), but be ready for a wait. Users with extensive histories on the platform have indicated that the process is taking longer than normal, potentially due to a rush of requests ahead of the November 15 deadline.
However, this delay may not be deliberate. It’s likely that the system is simply inundated with the volume of archive requests.
There are legitimate reasons to remain on X, certainly. For starters, deleting your account might enable someone else to claim your username and impersonate you. If you’re worried about the removal of the block function, which is also being introduced post-November 15, you can secure your account to ensure that only your followers can view your tweets.
### How Others Are Departing
There isn’t a singular “correct” method to leave X. Actress Jaime Lee Curtis [shared a screenshot](https://www.instagram.com/jamieleecurtis/p/DCUMg1dyU9Q/) of her account deactivation on Instagram, paired with the serenity prayer. Journalist Don Lemon [issued a brief statement](https://x.com/donlemon/status/1856726456438546501) explaining his choice to depart due to the ToS modifications. Meanwhile, [*The Guardian*](https://www.theguardian.com/media/2024/nov/13/why-the-guardian-is-no-longer-posting-on-x) released an article outlining its long-planned decision to cease posting on X. The Center for Countering Digital Hate went a step further, [deleting its account](https://knightcolumbia.org/content/knight-institute-says-xs-new-terms-of-service-will-stifle-independent-research) after sharing its final tweets.
### Remaining on X
If none of this raises any concerns for you and you’re satisfied to stay on X, then prepare yourself for the increasingly restrictive atmosphere under Musk’s management.
For those ready to welcome Grok, we commend you.