As X, the social network acquired by Elon Musk in 2022, continues to experience a decline in daily active users, many are opting to leave the platform behind. The exodus is driven by a range of factors, including concerns over Musk's management style, the platform's direction, and the rise of alternative social networks that promise a more user-centric experience.

One of the primary catalysts for the decline was the decision to turn the iconic blue checkmark into a paid feature, rendering a symbol once associated with legitimacy into a meaningless insignia. For others, Musk's political influence within the Trump administration was the final straw, while some were driven away by the reinstatement of accounts belonging to known white supremacists or the decision to make users' public posts visible to people they had blocked.

Regardless of the reason, users are flocking to alternative social networks that promise a more inclusive and user-friendly experience. Bluesky, a microblogging site built atop an open-source protocol, has seen its user base grow to around 30 million registered users as of January 2025. The platform's open-source nature and transparent inner workings have appealed to users who don't trust large corporations like Meta and Google to hold the keys to their online social lives.

Mastodon, another open-source social network, has also seen significant growth, with around 10 million registered users and 1 million active users as of January 2025. While Mastodon's setup may be more tech-forward, the nonprofit has taken steps to streamline the signup process, making it more accessible to a wider range of users.

Threads, owned by Meta, has a significant advantage in the space, allowing users to transfer their following lists from Instagram seamlessly. However, this advantage is also its biggest flaw, as users may be hesitant to give Meta even more control over their online experiences.

For users looking to make the switch, downloading an archive of their X data is a crucial step. This archive includes posts, uploaded media, direct messages, and followers and following lists, as well as data collected by X for ad targeting. To download this archive, users can navigate to Settings and privacy on their desktop browser, input their password as a security precaution, and request their data.

Before deleting their X account, users should also take steps to minimize the chance of their posts living on in search results. This can be done by changing their display name, username, and account settings to make their posts private. If users have never made their posts public, they don't need to worry about this.

Finally, deleting an X account is a relatively straightforward process. Users can navigate to Settings and privacy, click on the option to Deactivate your account, and then confirm their decision. Once deactivated, users have a 30-day grace period to reactivate their account before it is permanently deleted.

The exodus from X is a significant development in the social media landscape, with far-reaching implications for the future of online communication. As users continue to flock to alternative platforms, it remains to be seen how X will adapt to this shift and whether it can regain its footing in the market.