Understanding the changes in X led by billionaire Elon Musk
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Salma Hossein - . December 26, 2024
- . Update: December 27, 2024 9:00 am
Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk bought X for $44 billion in 2022. He continues to hail the platform as a bastion of freedom of expression. But certain profiles sharing misleading posts are also rising to prominence, it appears.
This matters because X doesn’t have as many users as some other major social media platforms, but it continues to have a significant impact on political discussions. Many high-profile politicians and police forces share statements on the site.
During the acquisition process in 2022, Musk emphasised the need to house all political opinions and push back against censorship by social media companies and governments. Changes like alterations to moderation policies started immediately.
X still features community notes used to factcheck or rebuff misleading posts. Users are able to pay for blue ticks – earlier given free of charge. Premium profiles are entitled to more prominence and benefits – and can make money from engagement.
