Elon Musk points out flaws in X's content recommendation algorithm
What's the story
Elon Musk, the tech mogul behind SpaceX and Tesla, has recently shared his insights on the functioning of X's (formerly Twitter) algorithm. In a post on X, the billionaire stated that the algorithm is not as intelligent as it could be. "The X algorithm assumes that if you interact with content, you want to see more of that content," Musk explained in his post. His comments come amid growing confusion among users about the content they see on their feeds.
Algorithm insights
User interaction shapes X's content
Musk further elaborated that the key factor determining what appears on your feed is your own activity. This includes likes, shares, and the posts you spend time on. He described X's algorithm as a mirror that reflects back the topics and accounts you interact with most frequently. "One of the strongest signals is if you forward X posts to friends, it assumes you like that content a lot," Musk added.
Complexity challenge
X's algorithm can't discern sharing motives
Musk also pointed out a limitation in X's algorithm. He noted that if a user shares a post, regardless of their reaction to it, the platform assumes they find it important and begins to show similar content more frequently. "Unfortunately, if the actual reason you forwarded the content to friends was because you were outraged by it, we are currently not smart enough to realize that," Musk said in his post.
Twitter Post
Take a look at Musk's post
The 𝕏 algorithm assumes that if you interact with content, you want to see more of that content.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 2, 2024
One of the strongest signals is if you forward 𝕏 posts to friends, it assumes you like that content a lot, because it takes effort to forward.
Unfortunately, if the actual reason…