Remember when X wasn’t working properly? Elon Musk claimed it was because usage had reached an all-time high. Now, there’s a debate about it in a broader sense.
Sorry if our platform was a bit slower than it should be – we have now brought additional resources online.
Last week was an all-time high in usage.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 2, 2024
It turns out that since Elon Musk took over Twitter and rebranded it as X, things haven’t been going smoothly. There’s been a lot of talk about bots, hate speech, and uneven user rules. Although X denies it, new data shows that X has lost almost a quarter of its users in the U.S. in just a year and a half.
According to a recent report from Sensor Tower, X’s daily active users on mobile in the U.S. have dropped by 23 percent since November 2022. That’s when Musk started running the show. Compared to other social media apps, X has seen the biggest decline.
X has refuted claims regarding the reported decline in its user base. In response to reports suggesting a decrease in daily active mobile app users in the U.S., X, represented by official statements from its @XData account, has contested the findings.
X asserts that the reports are based solely on estimates from third-party analytics firm Sensor Tower and do not accurately represent the platform’s actual user data. The platform maintains that its own data and self-reported metrics from other platforms present a different narrative, indicating stability or growth rather than decline.
Today @NBCNews shared an article that incorrectly claims that fewer people are using X today than previously. However, the data used in the article is based solely on estimates from @SensorTower, which does not have access to the actual data from these platforms and does not… https://t.co/hdypsZ2Ts0
— Data (@XData) March 25, 2024
X boasts 550 million monthly users, as reported by the company. This marks a growth of 1.5% since July, when Musk stated that X had 542 million monthly users. While X has failed to offer concrete data or proof to support these assertions, this absence leaves gaps for interpretation and additional examination of the actual condition of its user base. However at start of the year Elon Musk seems happy about their usage growth.
This platform is seeing incredible usage growth! pic.twitter.com/zIOk0wNCsd
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 4, 2024
What if the data is true?
Suppose the data presented by third-party analytics firm Sensor Tower indeed reflects an accurate depiction of X’s user engagement trends. In that case, it signals a significant challenge for the platform under Elon Musk’s leadership. A verifiable decline in daily active mobile app users by 23 percent since November 2022 suggests that X is facing hurdles in retaining and attracting users, despite Musk’s efforts to revamp the platform.
This scenario would raise questions about the effectiveness of Musk’s strategies and decisions, including the implementation of user activity restrictions and the rebranding of the platform. It would also underscore the importance of addressing user concerns, such as content moderation issues and technical glitches, to maintain a loyal and engaged user base.
Acknowledging and addressing the reported decline would be crucial for X’s future success. It would require transparency from the platform, as well as a concerted effort to listen to user feedback, improve the user experience, and rebuild trust among its audience. Failure to do so could further exacerbate the decline and jeopardize X’s standing in the competitive social media landscape.
Featured image credit: Eray Eliaçık/Bing
