In episode 42 of The Charity Show, Tim and Piers tackle one of the biggest questions facing charity comms teams right now: what do you do about social media - and is it finally time to walk away from X?

The main conversation is a two-part deep dive with Madeleine Sugden, digital impact consultant and author of the blog that coined the phrase “the Charity Exodus” – a renewed wave of charities leaving X following recent changes to the platform.

Madeline unpacks what’s really driving this shift, from content moderation failures and safeguarding concerns, to the introduction of AI tools like Grok and the breaking of what many charities see as ethical red lines. She explains why some organisations are leaving loudly, others quietly, and why for many charities the decision isn’t as straightforward as it might look from the outside.

Together, Tim, Piers and Madeline explore:

• Why the charity sector feels particularly exposed on platforms like X
• The reputational and ethical risks charities are weighing up
• Whether X is still the place for journalists, politicians and crisis comms
• What the data actually shows about engagement and reach
• The rise of BlueSky and why some charities are thriving there
• When mirror publishing works – and when it doesn’
• How AI-generated content is changing the rules for charity com
• Why flexibility, values and clarity matter more than ever in social media strategy

Useful links:

• Madeleine's blog: https://madlinblog.wordpress.com/

• AP Cymru – Supporting neurodivergent children and families in Wales
  https://www.apcymru.org.uk

• The Muscle Help Foundation – Creating “Muscle Dreams” for young people with muscular dystrophy
  https://www.musclehelp.com

• The Good Studio – Creative content for good causes
  https://www.thegoodstudio.co.uk

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