independent.co.uk
Musk's Algorithmic Bias on X
Research suggests Elon Musk boosted pro-Trump content on X via algorithmic manipulation, raising concerns about social media bias.
English
United Kingdom
PoliticsUs PoliticsUkElectionArtificial IntelligenceSocial MediaAlgorithmBias
X (Formerly Twitter)Queensland University Of TechnologyMonash University
Elon MuskDonald TrumpKamala HarrisTimothy GrahamMark Andrejevic
- What are the broader implications of this research?
- The research raises concerns about the potential impact of algorithmic manipulation on public discourse and the neutrality of social media platforms, particularly during elections.
- How did the researchers conduct their study to reach their conclusions?
- The study analyzed over 56,000 posts from various accounts to compare engagement metrics like views, retweets, and favorites. Musk's posts showed disproportionately higher engagement after July 13th.
- What is the main finding of the research regarding Elon Musk's activity on X?
- Elon Musk's posts on X (formerly Twitter) experienced a significant increase in views and engagement after he endorsed Donald Trump for president.
- What is the researchers' suspicion regarding Elon Musk's actions on the platform?
- Researchers suspect Musk manipulated X's algorithm to boost his pro-Trump content, giving his posts an unfair advantage over other political accounts.
- What were the specific increases in engagement metrics observed in Elon Musk's posts after the suspected algorithm change?
- View counts on Musk's posts increased by 138 percent, while retweets soared by 238 percent after the suspected algorithm change. This suggests algorithmic bias favored Musk's content.