Elon Musk faced negative reactions after announcing changes to X’s algorithm.
After Elon Musk revealed plans to change X’s algorithm, he was met with widespread criticism. Independent American journalist James Lee questioned Musk about how the new algorithm would detect negativity.
According to Musk, these changes were in response to “excessive negativity” on the X platform. On January 3, Musk wrote in a post: “Our goal is to maximize the time users spend without regret. Excessive negativity, which technically increases user time but doesn’t lead to regret-free time, is spreading.”
X users described this algorithm change as a form of censorship and asked Musk who has the authority to define negativity on the platform. This announcement came a few days after Musk removed certain premium features from accounts that disagreed with him online about immigration visas.
On December 27, following Musk’s suggestion that the U.S. should reconsider its immigration process to attract top talent from abroad, a controversy erupted on X. Several right-wing influencers criticized Musk’s post, arguing that the U.S. does not lack talent and should reduce immigration rates.
During the heated immigration debate, right-wing influencers accused Musk of removing their access to premium features and monetization. Vitalik Buterin, one of the co-founders of Ethereum, urged Musk to stay true to his commitment to free speech on the platform and not block users for expressing differing opinions.
Buterin wrote about free speech: “Respecting free speech is easy when we agree with it, and difficult when we find it unpleasant. But the reasons for respecting free speech remain the same as always. Today, one group controls the tools of banning, and tomorrow another group will.”
The recent conflict between Musk and X users followed his clash with the Brazilian government over censorship, which ultimately led to the platform being banned in the South American country.