Elon Musk is shaking things up again on X with a new algorithm designed to promote more informative and entertaining content.
But not everyone is on board with this change, and the backlash is quite big!
No more doomsaying, please
In a new post, Musk explained that he wants to tackle the excessive negativity he believes is flooding the platform.
He claims the goal is to maximize t eh so-called unregretted user-seconds, which sounds fancy but basically means he wants users to spend their time on more positive interactions.
“Too much negativity is being pushed that technically grows user time, but not un-regretted user time.”
After this, many users are raising eyebrows, questioning who gets to define what negativity really means.
Journalist James Li even asked Musk directly about how the algorithm would determine this elusive quality, but no clear answer was given.
Hot topic
The dust isn’t settled yet from some drama involving Musk and discussions about H-1B visas, as just days before, he suggested that the U.S. should revamp its immigration policies to attract top talent from around the globe.
This didn’t sit well with some popular influencers, who accused him of being out of touch and called for stricter immigration controls instead.
The fallout? Some users claim they even lost access to premium features on their accounts as a form of punishment for voicing dissent.
Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin chimed in, urging Musk to stick to his free speech principles, and he pointed out that respecting free speech is easy when you agree with what’s being said, but it gets tricky when you don’t. And there’s another factor.
“The one who holds the hammer of censorship today will not necessarily be the same tomorrow.”
Beauty is always better than ugly things?
As for the changes themselves, they have igniteded a heated debate about censorship versus free expression.
Critics worry that this algorithm tweak could lead to selective control over what content gets visibility on X.
After all, if only positive posts are highlighted, what happens to critical discussions or important issues that might not be all sunshine and rainbows?
Musk has been known for his controversial takes since acquiring X, often clashing with various groups over content moderation policies.
Now, with this new algorithm aimed at filtering out negativity, many are left wondering if X can truly be a platform for open dialogue or if it’s veering into controlled territory.
