Bluesky calls out X's algorithm control after Musk admits feed failures

X owner Elon Musk acknowledged ongoing failures in the platform's recommendation algorithm on Friday, responding to a user who complained about being shown unwanted political content.

The admission has triggered renewed criticism from decentralised social network Bluesky, which argued that concentrated control over large platforms poses a structural risk to public discourse.

In a post shared across its network, Bluesky wrote: “X openly saying they tip the scales and choose what you see. Instead of taking sides based on whose team won the last cycle, we need to fix the structural problem of one boss making the decisions — history shows us where that leads.” The comment came after Musk responded to a user complaint about unwanted political content appearing in their feed.

Responding directly to X, Musk stated, “Because we are failing very badly with the recommendation algorithm. Doing my best to address this.”

Also Read: Musk's Grokipedia sets off new debate on bias

Algorithm failures go public

The exchange unfolded after X user Janette Fenway questioned why her feed was “suddenly flooded with lefty lawmakers spouting nonsense,” tagging Musk directly. Musk acknowledged the problem, confirming that the platform's recommendation system is not functioning as intended.

While Musk did not provide technical details, his statement was widely interpreted as an admission that X's algorithm is not only flawed but still deeply centralised in terms of decision-making.

Bluesky's decentralised model allows users and developers to select or design their own recommendation algorithms, a direct contrast to X's centralised system under Musk.

Also Read: X faces hiccups in influencer-led monetisation push in Indian market

The incident follows earlier promises of improvement in its AI chatbot Grok.

In April, Musk announced that a “much improved” Grok-powered algorithm was forthcoming, responding to concerns raised by Y Combinator cofounder Paul Graham about the declining quality of discourse on X (formerly Twitter).

French police had launched an investigation into X in July, probing whether its algorithm was manipulated to allow “foreign interference.” Prosecutors said two complaints filed in January accused X of using its recommendation system for that purpose.

Source: EconomicTimes
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