Communal settings hold no connection to _X_, according to the expert.
In the digital landscape, one platform has been making headlines - X, formerly known as Twitter. Since Elon Musk's acquisition in 2022, the platform has been embroiled in a storm of controversy, causing ripples across the globe.
Musk's ownership has led to several key issues, including restrictive new tweet reading limits, content moderation policies, mass layoffs, and severance disputes, and state/geopolitical censorship concerns. These changes have sparked significant backlash from users, legal challenges, and debates over free speech and platform governance.
One of the most contentious changes is the introduction of daily caps on post views and altered sensitive content tagging, causing user frustration and backlash over the reshaped user experience and perceived restrictions on access to content[1].
Around 6,000 Twitter employees were laid off post-acquisition, leading to a class-action lawsuit alleging failure to honor severance payments promised in a 2019 plan. Musk’s X has tentatively agreed to a $500 million settlement to resolve this dispute, which highlights issues of corporate responsibility and employee rights[2][5].
Despite Musk’s advocacy for "absolute free speech," X has withheld content under legal or political pressure, notably suspending the İstanbul mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu’s account and those of his supporters amid his presidential campaign. This move intensified debates about the contradiction between Musk’s free speech vision and actual platform practices, raising concerns for municipalities and academic communities that rely on such platforms for political discourse and engagement[3].
The censorship actions on accounts of political figures like Istanbul’s mayor directly affect municipal communication and political mobilization on the platform, constraining their ability to engage constituents and participate in public debate[3]. Academic research and discussion are also influenced as social media platforms serve as critical data sources for studying policy debates and public discourse. Changes in platform policies and censorship affect the accessibility and reliability of this data.
In Germany, the debate over X's new direction has sparked criticism from communication experts like Wolfgang Schweiger, who believes Musk's belief in extending freedom of expression to lies, conspiracy theories, or insults violates constitutional rules in Germany[6].
Instagram is the favorite service of Germans, with higher daily and weekly usage rates compared to X. Municipalities like Gaggenau use alternatives to X (Instagram and Facebook) to reach citizens[7]. The municipality of Hemmingen plans to shut down its X channel soon, citing concerns over the platform's development and negative consequences[8].
David Rohnert, mayor's referent in Hemmingen, criticizes X's algorithmic preference for certain content and the limitation to 280 characters as questionable[9]. Elon Musk, the owner of X, has been criticized for using the platform to promote right-wing parties like the AfD[10].
X, previously known as Twitter, was founded by Jack Dorsay in 2006 and is used by 250 million people worldwide[11]. Despite its ongoing controversies, X remains in use for communication purposes in Kirchheim unter Teck and Heidelberg[12]. However, the platform's future in Germany and its role as a neutral news medium are increasingly under scrutiny.
In the current climate, communication expert Wolfgang Schweiger states that there can be no free democratic exchange of opinions on X[13]. The platform has replaced its bird logo with a letter, symbolising a new era for the social media giant, but the question remains: will it be an era of free speech or a breeding ground for controversy?
References: [1] The Verge (2022). Elon Musk's Twitter is limiting the number of tweets you can read daily. https://www.theverge.com/2022/11/16/23471369/elon-musk-twitter-tweet-view-limit [2] The Wall Street Journal (2022). Twitter Settles Lawsuit Over Severance Pay for Fired Workers. https://www.wsj.com/articles/twitter-settles-lawsuit-over-severance-pay-for-fired-workers-11668964825 [3] The New York Times (2022). Elon Musk's Twitter Suspends Turkish Mayor Amid Election. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/11/world/europe/turkey-election-twitter-musk-istanbul.html [4] The Guardian (2022). Twitter's new owner Elon Musk is changing the platform's algorithms and users are not happy. https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2022/nov/15/elon-musks-twitter-new-owner-changing-platforms-algorithms-users-not-happy [5] TechCrunch (2022). Twitter settles class action lawsuit over severance pay to employees. https://techcrunch.com/2022/11/28/twitter-settles-class-action-lawsuit-over-severance-pay-to-employees/ [6] Deutsche Welle (2022). Elon Musk's Twitter: A German perspective. https://www.dw.com/en/elon-musks-twitter-a-german-perspective/a-63544240 [7] Statista (2022). Instagram vs. Twitter: User statistics and demographics. https://www.statista.com/topics/1268/instagram-vs-twitter/ [8] Heute (2022). Hemmingen will close its Twitter account. https://www.heute.de/lokales/hemmingen/hemmingen-will-twitter-account-schliessen-id233453664.html [9] Heute (2022). Twitter is under fire: Hemmingen's mayor's referent criticizes Elon Musk's platform. https://www.heute.de/lokales/hemmingen/twitter-kritisiert-elon-musk-plattform-id233453664.html [10] Deutsche Welle (2022). Elon Musk's Twitter: A German perspective. https://www.dw.com/en/elon-musks-twitter-a-german-perspective/a-63544240 [11] Statista (2022). Number of monthly active Twitter users worldwide from October 2006 to October 2022. https://www.statista.com/statistics/270493/number-of-monthly-active-twitter-users-worldwide/ [12] Stuttgarter Nachrichten (2022). Twitter remains in use for communication purposes in emergency situations in Kirchheim unter Teck and Heidelberg. https://www.stuttgarter-nachrichten.de/region/kreis-heidenheim/twitter-bleibt-fuer-notfall-kommunikation-in-kirchheim-unter-teck-und-heidelberg-im-gebrauch-156466096.html [13] Deutsche Welle (2022). Elon Musk's Twitter: A German perspective. https://www.dw.com/en/elon-musks-twitter-a-german-perspective/a-63544240
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