ICM Decision to Leave X (formerly Twitter)
ICM has been the global voice of midwives for more than 100 years. During this time, we have worked to develop global standards and values that underpin all aspects of the profession. The Philosophy and Model of Midwifery Care is based on respect, dignity, compassion, and the promotion of human rights for all, values all midwives hold dear.
Following a review, ICM has decided it can no longer engage with the X (formerly Twitter) social media platform as it no longer aligns with these principles, that are core to our organisation and our profession.
We use social media to connect with our global community, raise awareness about the critical role of midwives, share valuable resources, and build a sense of belonging among midwives worldwide. Ultimately, we use social media to advance our mission to ensure that women and gender diverse people everywhere can access midwifery services that meet ICM Global Standards. However, the rapidly changing nature of social media platforms has led us to reconsider where and how we engage. We encourage all midwives and midwives’ associations to do the same.
Why we are leaving X (Twitter)
ICM decision to stop engaging with X (Twitter) reflects our commitment to aligning social media presence with ICM’s values and priorities. The rise of harmful content, misinformation, and reduced platform moderation standards on X (Twitter) are not conducive to the safe, respectful, and constructive dialogue we strive to create. Additionally, the platform is no longer a reliable space for informed and secure conversations about women’s rights or sexual and reproductive health, which are central to our mission. To prevent any potential misuse of our identity our existing account will remain open; however, we will not be posting or engaging with the platform in any way. This measure prevents potential misuse of our name while ensuring that we retain control over our intellectual property.
Going forward mindful of responsible engagement
We will be adapting our social media strategy in the coming weeks to focus more on which we are already on: Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. We will be moving our short-form text content to BlueSky. For now, these platforms are more conducive to meaningful collaboration and connection.
At the same time, we are concerned and are closely monitoring Meta’s new policy updates affecting Facebook, raising critical questions about privacy, misinformation and online safety, as well as concerns about these companies terminating diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. We will adapt to the situation as changes arise, and inform you, our members and our community, of our decisions.
We invite each of our member associations and every midwife to be mindful of the digital spaces where you choose to engage, and to think critically about the content that is posted on these platforms, as it becomes more difficult to discern misinformation available online. As a profession, we are accountable to women and newborns we care for. Midwives are committed to ensuring health and wellbeing and to upholding human rights, and we have the responsibility to ensure that we are engaging with platforms that uphold these values, online and offline, as well as the responsibility to critically assess all information and their sources
Staying connected
The best way to remain in contact with ICM is through signing up to our monthly newsletter; In every edition you will find instructions on how to contribute with your insights, updates and opportunities for future newsletters. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and BSky.
Listening, learning and reflecting with our members and the wider SRMNAH sector and women’s groups will be an important part of how we navigate the changing and changing digital landscape in the coming months and years.
