LOS ANGELES — Social media platform X on Wednesday published its first transparency report since the company was purchased by Elon Musk. The report, which details content moderation practices, shows the company has removed millions of posts and accounts from the site in the first half of the year.
X, formerly Twitter, suspended nearly 5.3 million accounts in that time, compared with the 1.6 million accounts the company reported suspending in the first half of 2022. The social media company also “removed or labeled” more than 10.6 million posts for violating platform rules — about 5 million of which it categorized as violating its “hateful conduct” policy.
Posts containing “violent content” — 2.2 million — or “abuse and harassment” — 2.6 million — also accounted for a large portion of content that was labeled or removed. The company does not distinguish between how many posts were removed and how many were labeled.
In an April 2023 blog post published in lieu of a transparency report, by contrast, the company said it required users to remove 6.5 million pieces of content that violated the company’s rules in the first six months of 2022, an increase of 29% from the second half of 2021.
Some have blamed Musk for turning a fun platform into one that’s chaotic and toxic. Musk has previously posted conspiracy theories and feuded with world leaders and politicians. X is currently banned in Brazil amid a dustup between Musk and a Brazilian Supreme Court judge over free speech, far-right accounts and misinformation.
To enforce their rules, X said, the company uses a combination of machine learning and human review. The automated systems either take action or surface the content to human moderators. Posts violating X’s policy accounted for less than 1% of all content on the site, the company said.
When Musk was trying to buy Twitter in 2022, he said he was doing so because it wasn’t living up to its potential as a “platform for free speech.” Since acquiring the company that October, Musk has fired much of its staff and made other changes, leading to a steady exodus of celebrities, public figures, organizations and ordinary people from the platform.
X, a leading technology company, has recently released its first transparency report following its acquisition by Elon Musk. The report provides valuable insights into the company’s operations and commitment to transparency in the wake of the high-profile acquisition.
The transparency report covers a wide range of topics, including data privacy, security practices, government requests for user information, and efforts to combat misinformation and disinformation on the platform. This level of transparency is crucial for maintaining trust with users and stakeholders, especially in an era where data privacy and security are top concerns for consumers.
One key highlight of the report is X’s commitment to protecting user data and privacy. The company outlines its data protection policies and practices, including encryption protocols, data retention policies, and measures to prevent unauthorized access to user information. This level of transparency is essential for building trust with users and ensuring that their data is handled responsibly.
In addition to data privacy, the transparency report also addresses X’s efforts to combat misinformation and disinformation on the platform. The company outlines its policies for identifying and removing false or misleading content, as well as its partnerships with fact-checking organizations to verify the accuracy of information shared on the platform. This commitment to combating misinformation is crucial in an age where fake news can spread rapidly online.
Another key aspect of the transparency report is X’s disclosure of government requests for user information. The company provides details on the number of requests received, the types of information requested, and how many requests were complied with. This level of transparency is important for holding governments accountable and ensuring that user data is not being improperly accessed or shared.
Overall, X’s first transparency report following Elon Musk’s acquisition demonstrates the company’s commitment to openness and accountability. By providing detailed information on data privacy, security practices, efforts to combat misinformation, and government requests for user information, X is setting a new standard for transparency in the tech industry. This level of openness is crucial for building trust with users and stakeholders and ensuring that the company operates ethically and responsibly in the digital age.
