Scotland’s national children’s charity has left the social media platform X saying it no longer provides a positive space to progress children’s rights.

The 140-year-old charity Children First, which supports children and their families across Scotland, has left the platform formerly known as Twitter despite it being home to the charity’s largest single social media presence.

The charity is the latest in a spate of organisations to leave the social media platform since the entrepreneur Elon Musk bought the business in 2022, including Acevo, Mermaids and Manningham Housing Association.

Since Musk took over the platform, many users have noticed a change in tone of X’s content and a lack of action over offensive posts, with some charities saying the platform no longer aligns with their values.

Children First said last week: “As Scotland’s national children’s charity, we want to engage in discussion and debate that recognises the complexity of the challenges children face in an environment that is respectful, tolerant and solution focused. 

“We no longer believe that X provides a positive space to achieve our goals to progress children’s rights.”

The charity said that in leaving the platform, it would be losing its “largest single social media audience, at a time when children and young people need our support more than ever”.

Children First’s X account has almost 24,000 followers.

The charity said it would continue to review its presence across social media platforms to “most effectively reach and engage all those who would donate, partner and campaign with us”. 

Children First said that the best way to support its work was through its website but added that audiences could also find the charity on LinkedIn, Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram. 

The charity’s departure from X fell on World Children’s Day last week and came after Children First completed a major rebrand to better meet the needs of a new generation. The rebrand included changing its name from Children 1st, a new logo and an integrated ad campaign. 

Alongside its rebrand, it launched a new campaign to declare a “national childhood emergency” in Scotland.

The charity said: “Last month, we announced that Scotland faces a national childhood emergency. 

“The challenges and threats which children face require a nuanced and collaborative response from politicians, the media, businesses, professionals and the public.”