Elon Musk's Latest Attempt at Transparency: Making X Algorithm Open Source
In an effort to live up to his promise, Elon Musk has made part of the X algorithm open source. The move comes after Musk claimed that the algorithm "sucks" in a tweet on January 20th, and is seen as a promising step towards making the platform truly open source.
However, the release doesn't quite meet expectations. According to the plain text readme documents in the GitHub dump, the algorithm appears to prioritize engagement, attempting to figure out which posts will keep users scrolling. It pulls from accounts you follow, but also accounts deemed similar to those you follow. The approach is straightforward: show users whatever will make them keep staring at it.
But Musk isn't entirely happy with the current state of affairs. In a series of tweets, he claims that the algorithm "sucks" and "dumbs down" content. He argues that it's biased against posts from right-wing accounts, which may be true, but also ignores posts from accounts that have been blocked frequently.
Despite Musk's criticisms, X head of product Nikita Bier seems to be proud of the algorithm, citing increased daily engagement time among new users. However, it remains unclear whether this is a result of the algorithm itself or other factors.
The move towards open sourcing the algorithm is seen as a step in the right direction, but it's still unclear when – if ever – the rest of the code will be made available. Musk has promised to release all relevant code within four weeks, but it remains to be seen whether this will happen.
One thing is certain: making an algorithm open source can have unintended consequences. It may allow users to find bugs and suggest improvements, which could lead to a better user experience. On the other hand, it may also reveal vulnerabilities that can be exploited by malicious actors.
Only time will tell if Musk's latest attempt at transparency will pay off or prove futile. For now, fans of open sourcing will have to wait and see whether X truly becomes an open source platform.
In an effort to live up to his promise, Elon Musk has made part of the X algorithm open source. The move comes after Musk claimed that the algorithm "sucks" in a tweet on January 20th, and is seen as a promising step towards making the platform truly open source.
However, the release doesn't quite meet expectations. According to the plain text readme documents in the GitHub dump, the algorithm appears to prioritize engagement, attempting to figure out which posts will keep users scrolling. It pulls from accounts you follow, but also accounts deemed similar to those you follow. The approach is straightforward: show users whatever will make them keep staring at it.
But Musk isn't entirely happy with the current state of affairs. In a series of tweets, he claims that the algorithm "sucks" and "dumbs down" content. He argues that it's biased against posts from right-wing accounts, which may be true, but also ignores posts from accounts that have been blocked frequently.
Despite Musk's criticisms, X head of product Nikita Bier seems to be proud of the algorithm, citing increased daily engagement time among new users. However, it remains unclear whether this is a result of the algorithm itself or other factors.
The move towards open sourcing the algorithm is seen as a step in the right direction, but it's still unclear when – if ever – the rest of the code will be made available. Musk has promised to release all relevant code within four weeks, but it remains to be seen whether this will happen.
One thing is certain: making an algorithm open source can have unintended consequences. It may allow users to find bugs and suggest improvements, which could lead to a better user experience. On the other hand, it may also reveal vulnerabilities that can be exploited by malicious actors.
Only time will tell if Musk's latest attempt at transparency will pay off or prove futile. For now, fans of open sourcing will have to wait and see whether X truly becomes an open source platform.
. I mean, it's a step in the right direction towards transparency and accountability on the platform. Sure, the implementation might not be perfect (it seems to prioritize engagement over other factors), but that's the beauty of community involvement - we can help improve it together 
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. And hey, even if some malicious actors try to exploit vulnerabilities, isn't that what cybersecurity is all about? Keeping us safe while still giving us control over our own data is a tough balance, but I think we'll get there 
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, that'd be amazing!
"Just thinkin', makin' algo open source is like sharin' a secret recipe 
. Might sound good on paper, but how's the quality control gonna work?" 
. On one hand, I love that he's trying to be transparent, but on the other hand, his claims of it "sucking" and "dumbing down" content kinda come across as whiny 
. And yeah, it's definitely biased against right-wing accounts... I mean, can't we just have a neutral algorithm for once? 
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. One day it's all about promoting engagement, and the next it's "we're gonna make this open source!" 
It's like, can we just have a clear plan for once? 
so fingers crossed that the rest of the code comes out within the 4 week timeframe 
if not who knows maybe musk will just say "oh no my algorithm is too complex i need more time" 
i mean, can't he just chill? it's not like the algorithm is going to take over the world or anything lol. and btw, i've been blocked on x for no reason too 
. i hope so, cuz it'll be dope to see how users can contribute to making x even better 
. But hey, at least we got a heads up on what the algorithm does now. Now let's wait and see if Nikita can really make X into an awesome open source platform 
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. It's just another example of how corporations try to keep users hooked without actually listening to what we want 
anyone else worried about how this'll impact the quality of content on x?