The Federal Ministry of Defence has changed its behavior on the internet platform X, following the non-mainstream opinions expressed by the platform’s owner, Elon Musk. As reported by the ministry on Wednesday, it will let the channel rest. The “exchange of arguments” would increasingly be hindered, it was stated as a reason.
For the foreseeable future, no more proactive posts will be published on the platform, the ministry said. However, it reserves the right to react to X with posts in exceptional cases, for instance in the event of “disinformation campaigns”. The X channels of the Inspector General, inspectors, and commanders, as well as the central X channel of the German Armed Forces, will not be proactively maintained, according to the ministry’s statement. The Defence Ministry plans to use an alternative WhatsApp channel to inform about schedules, decisions, and news.
Critical statements by Musk against Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) and President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, as well as a vote recommendation by the entrepreneur for the Alternative for Germany (AfD), had recently rekindled the debate about the handling of the network in the establishment. However, the federal government had initially stuck to its channels and appearances on X, formerly Twitter, as well. Even Scholz and the government spokesperson Steffen Hebestreit have X channels.
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