X has shared its first ever transparency report ever since Elon Musk took over the platform in October (2022). It is a 15-page Global Transparency Report which covers the first six months of 2024. The report showed that there were 224 million users reported and the platform suspended 5 million users. A total of 5 million posts were taken down between January and June 2024. In the past, X used to share its transparency report twice in a year. This practice started in 2012 and continued until X was handed over to its new owner.
When Elon Musk took over X, he ceased the transparency reports of the platform saying that it is like the government bullying social media by looking at its internal data through transparency reports. But now X has changed its policies. The report by X says that the policies of X are based on human rights and freedom of speech. X also says that they have a slogan which states “Freedom of Speech, not Freedom of Reach", which means that they can restrict the reach of their posts and make the content less discoverable instead of removing it.
This transparency report by X is far shorter than previous reports by X. It briefly mentions user reporting and company action, company policies and other policies regarding child safety, harrassment, suicide and self-harm. X didn’t explain rehabilitation policies and it seems like X is more focused on suspending accounts, instead of banning them.
The platform says that it has also restricted 2 million accounts with child abuse media with 370,588 reports. In 2022, X also updated its reinforcement guidelines to suspend users who also engaged in CSAM content with liking, replying, sharing and bookmarking the content.
The report also shared limited data on government data requests and removals. In its 2021 report, X said that it has fielded 11,460 requests for information for 67 countries with 40.2% of them. In 2024, X reported 72,000 requests for content removal and 18,000 requests for information. At the end of the report, it was said that X is rebuilding itself and its generative AI offerings pre-election. The report shows how Elon Musk is redefining the transparency report of the platform.
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When Elon Musk took over X, he ceased the transparency reports of the platform saying that it is like the government bullying social media by looking at its internal data through transparency reports. But now X has changed its policies. The report by X says that the policies of X are based on human rights and freedom of speech. X also says that they have a slogan which states “Freedom of Speech, not Freedom of Reach", which means that they can restrict the reach of their posts and make the content less discoverable instead of removing it.
This transparency report by X is far shorter than previous reports by X. It briefly mentions user reporting and company action, company policies and other policies regarding child safety, harrassment, suicide and self-harm. X didn’t explain rehabilitation policies and it seems like X is more focused on suspending accounts, instead of banning them.
The platform says that it has also restricted 2 million accounts with child abuse media with 370,588 reports. In 2022, X also updated its reinforcement guidelines to suspend users who also engaged in CSAM content with liking, replying, sharing and bookmarking the content.
The report also shared limited data on government data requests and removals. In its 2021 report, X said that it has fielded 11,460 requests for information for 67 countries with 40.2% of them. In 2024, X reported 72,000 requests for content removal and 18,000 requests for information. At the end of the report, it was said that X is rebuilding itself and its generative AI offerings pre-election. The report shows how Elon Musk is redefining the transparency report of the platform.
Read next:
• New Survey Shows Which Countries Are Most and Least Excited About Artificial Intelligence
