X will make govt content takedown requests more transparent: Elon Musk
New Delhi, Aug 16 (IANS) Elon Musk has announced that social media platform X will make government requests to remove or restrict content more visible to users, as part of a broader effort to increase transparency around content moderation, recommendation algorithms and official intervention in online speech.
In a post on social media platform X, Musk said that any censorship required by governments is now clearly visible, signalling the platform’s intention to provide users with greater insight into actions taken at the request of government authorities.
“Any censorship required by governments is now clearly visible,” Musk mentioned.
Under the proposed changes, X users will be able to see when governments seek the removal of posts or request restrictions on accounts.
The platform also plans to disclose details about the agencies making such requests and, where available, the legal grounds or justification cited for the action.
The move is part of Musk’s wider push to make the platform’s moderation and content-distribution systems more transparent.
Since acquiring X, formerly known as Twitter, Musk has repeatedly argued that users should have greater visibility into how online content is moderated and ranked.
According to a report by Crypto Briefing, X has complied with between 83 per cent and 98.8 per cent of government takedown requests under Musk’s ownership, depending on the reporting period.
The report said this compliance rate exceeds that of the platform’s previous management.
X has also been working to provide greater transparency around its recommendation systems.
The company has supported efforts to open-source parts of its recommendation technology, enabling researchers and users to scrutinise how content-ranking mechanisms operate and how posts are promoted or suppressed.
The platform aims to give users clearer information about factors that influence the visibility of content, including whether posts are being amplified, de-amplified or subject to reach restrictions.
–IANS
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