LOS ANGELES (AP) — On Wednesday, the social media platform X released its inaugural transparency report since Elon Musk took ownership of the company. This report outlines content moderation efforts and reveals that millions of posts and accounts have been removed from the platform in the first half of this year.
Earlier this year, X (previously known as Twitter) suspended approximately 5.3 million accounts, a substantial increase from the 1.6 million accounts it reported suspending during the same period in 2022. The platform also took action against over 10.6 million posts for breaching its rules, with around 5 million of those falling under the category of “hateful conduct.”
In detailing the nature of the content removed, the report indicates that 2.2 million posts involved “violent content,” while 2.6 million related to “abuse and harassment.” Notably, X does not specify how many posts were entirely removed versus those that were merely labeled.
In a blog post from April 2023, which preceded this transparency report, X indicated that users were required to eliminate 6.5 million pieces of content that breached platform guidelines in the first six months of 2022—a 29% rise from the latter half of 2021.
The company employs a mix of machine learning algorithms and human moderators to enforce its rules, asserting that less than 1% of all content on the site violates its policies. These automated systems either take direct action or flag content for review by humans.
Critics have pointed fingers at Musk for transforming what was once a lively social media space into one characterized by chaos and hostility. Amid controversies surrounding Musk—who has previously shared conspiracy theories and engaged in disputes with political leaders—X is currently prohibited in Brazil due to a conflict with a Brazilian Supreme Court judge over issues of free speech and misinformation involving far-right accounts.
Musk had claimed his acquisition of Twitter in 2022 was motivated by a desire to restore its potential as a platform for free speech. However, since his takeover last October, he has dismissed a significant portion of the staff and implemented various changes, prompting a noticeable departure of celebrities, public figures, organizations, and regular users from the site.
