In May 2024 when X’s (formerly Twitter) content policy changed to permit users to share consensually produced and distributed adult content, the Synod of NSW and ACT Communications team announced its decision to discontinue its presence on the platform.
For almost a year, the Communications team has been considering how it will use BlueSky and has this week announced that the Uniting Church Synod of NSW and ACT’s flagship publication Insights will be taking up residence on the BlueSky platform. Insights joins a number of Christian magazine outlets such as Sojourners and Christianity Today.
“As part of my job, we are tasked with understanding where best to communicate the amazing work that our Uniting Church Missions, Congregations and our service arm, Uniting, are doing in the public space,” says Adrian Drayton, Head of Communications and Marketing. “We felt that moving to BlueSky with other Christian media partners and allies is the right fit.”
Further reasons to move from X included relaxed content moderation and an uptick in hate speech and misinformation. The move aligns with the Uniting Church’s commitment to fostering a safe online environment, particularly for children and vulnerable individuals.
Earlier this month the Uniting Church in Australia National Assembly transitioned away from X with Bethany Broadstock, Assembly National Manager – Media and Communications, saying that: “A weakened content moderation approach has allowed hate speech and conspiracy theories to become more normalised. There are fewer checks and balances on misinformation and disinformation. There are fewer checks and balances to verify identity. It is deeply concerning that under new leadership, the influence of the platform seems to have been abused to shape political discourse in an increasingly fractured United States of America.”
In sharing this decision to move away from X, we acknowledge, like the Uniting Church National Assembly, that if our members remain on X we encourage them to be light and grace in this space.
“We’re focusing our efforts on Bluesky, Instagram, Facebook — places where our audience has congregated and where people find information and a community of like-minded people,” says Mr Drayton. “None of these platforms are flawless, and some raise complex ethical concerns. However, for now, we believe they are the most effective social media options for our work.”
By stepping away from X, the Synod of NSW and ACT Communications team hopes to set an example for other religious and community organisations, encouraging them to prioritise safe and ethical digital engagement.
Over the past decade and beyond, the Communications team have become agile and adaptable storytellers, ready to embrace new mediums whenever needed to connect with people wherever they are. The team will continue to journey in this complex place called social media, ensuring that our communications align with our values of inclusivity and safety.
