A survey released Monday by the German IT industry association, Bitkom, reveals a significant shift in German companies’ engagement with the platform X, formerly known as Twitter. The findings indicate a marked decrease in activity and financial investment on the platform following Elon Musk’s acquisition.
According to the study, 58% of companies currently utilizing X have reduced their posting frequency or ceased posting content altogether. A further 32% maintain their previous posting levels, while a minimal 3% have increased activity or recently began using the platform. The overall usage rate among surveyed companies has declined to 27%, down from 32% in October 2023, with a corresponding increase in those reporting reduced or no content posting, which stood at 43% in the earlier survey.
This trend extends to paid advertising, with 51% of companies now allocating fewer resources or completely foregoing paid advertising campaigns on X – a sharp increase from 26% in 2023. A mere 7% maintain their advertising expenditure at pre-acquisition levels, while 37% have entirely abandoned advertising on the platform.
While a complete removal of company profiles remains uncommon, 11% of respondents are considering deleting their X profiles within the current or coming year. An additional 4% are contemplating deletion but without a definite timeline. A substantial 43% are under consideration of a profile removal but have no immediate plans, while 39% intend to retain their existing profiles.
Beyond direct users of the platform, a broad consensus exists among German businesses. A substantial 85% of all companies surveyed, including those not active on X, believe the platform requires greater oversight – a significant increase from 74% in 2023. Furthermore, 80% attribute a perceived acceleration of societal division to X, up from 52% in the previous year. Only 21% of respondents believe Elon Musk has strengthened freedom of expression through his stewardship of the platform.
Bitkom Research conducted the survey through telephone interviews with 602 companies employing 20 or more individuals in Germany. The data was collected between March 24th and April 12th, 2025.
