Elon Musk Announces Algorithm Change to Reduce Negativity on X

Tech

By News

Published 4 months ago on

January 4, 2025

Musk's algorithm change aims to boost positive content on X, sparking debate over platform's direction and potential impacts. (GV Wire Composite/David Rodriguez)

Musk announces algorithm tweak to promote informative and entertaining content, aiming to reduce negativity on X.
The change has drawn mixed reactions, with some praising the move and others expressing concerns about censorship.
Musk's recent controversial actions on X include supporting Trump and urging King Charles III to dissolve British Parliament.

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Elon Musk has announced an upcoming “algorithm tweak” aimed at promoting more informative and entertaining content on the platform. The change comes in response to what Musk perceives as an excess of negativity being pushed on X.

Algorithm tweak coming soon to promote more informational/entertaining content. We will publish the changes to @XEng.

Our goal is to maximize unregretted user-seconds. Too much negativity is being pushed that technically grows user time, but not unregretted user time.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 4, 2025

“Our goal is to maximize unregretted user-seconds,” Musk stated in a post on X. “Too much negativity is being pushed that technically grows user time, but not unregretted user time.”

The announcement has sparked mixed reactions from users and commentators. Some view it as a positive step towards improving the user experience, while others express concerns about potential censorship and the definition of “negativity.”

Ed Krassenstein, an AI expert with a significant following on X, noted the timing of the change, stating, “This is definitely interesting timing, given the fact that X essentially rewarded negativity when Biden was president but is shifting to penalize negativity under Trump.”

Elon Musk just announced that X will start penalizing negativity and propping up posts that are positive. This is definitely interesting timing, given the fact that X essentially rewarded negativity when Biden was president, but is shifting to penalize negativity under Trump.

— Ed Krassenstein (@EdKrassen) January 4, 2025

Musk, who acquired Twitter in October 2022 and subsequently reinstated several suspended conservative accounts, including that of President-elect Donald Trump, has been a prominent supporter of Trump’s successful 2024 presidential campaign.

Recent Controversies and Future Impact

The Tesla and SpaceX CEO has recently made other controversial interventions on X, including urging King Charles III to dissolve the British Parliament in response to a sex trafficking scandal in the United Kingdom.

As the implementation of the algorithm change approaches, it remains to be seen how it will impact the platform and its users. Musk has promised that the changes will be published on the X Engineering account, providing some transparency to the process.