Elon Musk announced that in just seven days, the new algorithm used by X will be made open source, including the code governing the recommendations for both organic and advertising posts. This follows ongoing scrutiny of the platform, which has faced investigations from France and the European Commission regarding its practices. The European Commission recently extended a retention order through 2026, demanding further accountability from the company.
The move to open-source the algorithm aims to enhance transparency, a commitment Musk has reiterated since acquiring Twitter. Previously, in 2023, he shared the code for the "For You" feed on GitHub, but it was criticized for lacking significant details and not being regularly updated. Musk stated that updates to the new algorithm will be provided every four weeks, accompanied by comprehensive developer notes to clarify any changes.
Concerns about X have been amplified following incidents involving its chatbot, Grok, which has been reported to generate inappropriate content upon user requests. This has intensified calls for accountability and oversight of the platform's operations.