In a move to “maximize unregretted user-seconds,” Elon Musk has unveiled plans for an algorithm change on his social media platform X that he claims will curb excessive negativity. Critics contend the algorithm changes will have troubling outcomes like censoring criticism of the FBI.
Self-proclaimed “free speech absolutist” Elon Musk has announced that his X platform (formerly Twitter) will implement changes to its algorithm in response to what he perceives as an overabundance of negativity being pushed on the site. The billionaire entrepreneur, who acquired Twitter in October 2022 and later rebranded it as X, has been known for his controversial interventions on the platform.
In an X post, Musk stated, “Algorithm tweak coming soon to promote more informational/entertaining content. We will publish the changes to @Xeng [X Engineering].” He further elaborated on the goal behind this decision, saying, “Our goal is to maximize unregretted user-seconds. Too much negativity is being pushed that technically grows user time, but not unregretted user time.”
The announcement comes a week after Musk’s meltdown on X over criticism of his rabid support for H-1B visas. Expressing the type of negativity he now hopes to curtail, Musk told critics to “fuck yourself in the face:”
One X user on Friday stated, “Let’s optimize H1-B,” a reference to Musk’s belief that things that should not exist should not be optimized.
“The reason I’m in America along with so many critical people who built SpaceX, Tesla and hundreds of other companies that made America strong is because of H1B,” Musk raged in response to the X user. “Take a big step back and FUCK YOURSELF in the face. I will go to war on this issue the likes of which you cannot possibly comprehend.”
Musk’s comment is a paraphrase of a line from the 2008 comedy film Tropic Thunder.
It was later revealed that Musk had replaced some laid off Tesla workers with low wage H-1B visa workers.
Reporter Savanah Hernandez pointed out the problem with this algorithm change is that Elon Musk and his staff are the ones that will determine what is “negative.” She wrote, “This is the exact way censorship began on Twitter 1.0.”
A reply to Hernandez indicates that according to Musk’s Grok AI, her post was negative, meaning it would likely be censored by the new algorithm.
Journalist Elijah Schaffer noted that when users questioned Grok about what sort of posts could result in being censored by the algorithm. The bot responded that posts critical of the FBI could result in downranking of the account on X.
Breitbart News will continue to report on Elon Musk and his X platform.
Lucas Nolan is a reporter for Breitbart News covering issues of free speech and online censorship.
