Goodbye Twitter: Northern Irish Writer Leaves X, Sam Neill Follows Suit
It was a Monday in November, but something was amiss; the Belfast man had his announcement ready, he had something shocking to tell. To the 15,200 followers of X, he said his farewells and announced his exit from the platform.
Mark Lawn, A Far-Reaching Writer
Mark Lawn was best known for writing the BBC drama Blue Lights, which premiered earlier this year to great success. Followed by the commission for a second season, featuring Sian Brooke and Katherine Devlin, Lawn was becoming a renowned writer. He had also penned critically acclaimed series The Salisbury Poisonings and upcoming crime thriller Rogue Agent.
Lawn’s Final Post
In his final post on X, Lawn spoke optimistically of the platform and explained that although it once made the world better, it had quickly made it significantly worse. He wished his followers goodnight and good luck and said goodbye to the platform.
Owner Elon Musk’s Influence
X was taken over by Elon Musk in October 2022, who introduced a number of changes after the acquisition, such as paid verification checkmarks, reinstated previously banned accounts and a reduction of the workforce. He served as CEO of the company up until June 2023, when Linda Yaccarino took over. The platform was also rebranded in July 2023, from Twitter to X.
Sam Neill – Another Departure
Following Mark Law’s departure, Northern Irish actor Sam Neill also left the platform in 2021. He made a tearful video announcement, stating that he could not be a part of something as angry and divisive as Twitter. Neill also expressed disappointment at not having a verified blue checkmark anymore.
Conclusion
Mark Lawn and Sam Neill weren’t the only ones quitting Twitter, but they are two examples of people who decided to leave the platform in search for other avenues of connection. What started as a place of greatefulness and expression had slowly transformed into something darker and more divided.
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