Every social media app has its own secret sauce—algorithms. TikTok's algorithm, for example, is very good at keeping users engaged with their endless scrolling. Valued at $200 billion On paper, the algorithm for X (née Twitter) has a different specialty: promoting far-right extremist content. And the EU wants to know why that is. As part of an ongoing investigation from the European Commission, X has been ordered to hand over internal documents showing how its recommendation algorithm works. According to the Financial Times report–
The Elon Musk-owned platform has until February 15 to reveal all information it has about its content recommendation system. This includes details about recent changes and documents detailing how to refine the algorithm in the future. If the Commission wants to lift the hood and see how the company is changing things.
command which is an extension of probe First opening in December 2023 To check the spread of “Illegal content” includes disinformation and hate speech on the platform. It follows complaints from German lawmakers who believe Musk is eager and intent on promoting the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party ahead of the country's February elections.
Musk is less subtle about his personal preferences (certainly, he's not subtle these days) after successfully throwing his weight around in the US presidential election. He decided to put his finger on the scale in Germany to see how far his influence extended by tweeting “Only the AfD can save Germany.–
AfD is the German alt-right. Remnant cells of cancer nazis that had spread in the country And although it has long been dormant and largely powerless in the country, But it can only deal with the far right. First victory in a state election since 1945 As of late last year, Musk now serves as the main international sponsor. at the beginning of last month He hosted the X Space event with party leader Alice Weidel and allowed her to restructure her party and German history without retaliation. Including creating cases where Adolf Hitler was a communist. (at number–
We'll see if all this pressure he puts on political norms leads him to another political victory in Germany next month. But there is evidence to suggest that he misread the room. There was considerable opposition to Musk among them. NGO and companywho dropped X in response to his attempt to change the election for the AfD party, he too very angry Leader of the Christian Democratic Union, the traditional conservative party in the country. This meant that he was less likely to find allies if his Nazi plans failed.
All that trouble will make Musk one thing certain. That is, his company is under the microscope. Let's say that X complies with the EU's request. It will open up the machinery of Musk's personal racism and see how the gears shift. Including the amount he charged. Promote his own posts In an attempt to control the narrative on the platform