If you get confused as to why you see posts that are entirely unrelated to X (formerly twitter) or post from people you do not follow, let me tell you this. It is fairly widespread: I am sure most people have encountered this problem during their usage of smartphones, and Elon Musk talked about it not long ago. In a recent straightforward blog, Musk elaborated his theories on how the X algorithm works out.
Elon Musk Reveals Why X's Feed Feels Off: The Algorithm's Limitations Explained
Even with the presentation of this algorithm, Musk admitted that it was not as smart as it ought to be. It functions on the basis of if they provide you certain materials it means you would like to see more of them. This results in a feed which is to a certain extent dictated by your activity and interests.
However, Musk also pointed out a limitation: it can recommend shocking content, the content you would never open yourself, in your feed even if you didn’t interact with it. This is because the algorithm observes any content that you forward to other people, and considers them to be of interest to you.
The current concept of the algorithm lacks the understanding of context and also your feelings towards the content you share. However, this can result to rather incongruent and erratic feelings in the news feeds you come across.
Finally, using Musk’s revelation, it is easier to realize the problems that X has in the process of content selection. Booted Algorithm of the application may work towards its goals, but it is commonly failing to impress the users. People will have to rely on such imperfect system and try to do the best they could with the content they came across.
How Musk’s X Algorithm Knows What You Really Want—Even When You Don’t
In his recent post, Musk shed light on the X algorithm's core function: it works on the basis if you visit, let’s say, videos it will think that you must want more videos. This means that your feed also tends to be liked based on your reactions like the like, share and the posts that you have saved for later, therefore making your feed to be an interest replication.
Let me start with the fact that the concept of the X algorithm is rather simple but still effective. From the way you engage with the site, it changes your experience to include mainly what it rates as relevant to you. Your feed thus transforms to essentially represent your online behaviour and proclivity.
Even with such targeted exposure, you may at times come across very explicit or rather shocking content. Musk goes further to add that it doesn’t only capture what you do, but it is very sensitive to what you are. It also analyses forwarded posts as one of the critical metrics defining the content’s relevance.
To forward a post, one has to take a conscious step, thus sending a message to the algorithm that the content in the given post is important or worth sharing to you. It can affect the kind of posts which you come across, it may change the kinds of posts in your feed and bring in more shocking and diverse ones.
Yet another proof of the fact that the X algorithm is very smart is the fact that it is capable of incorporating forwarded content into your feed. It also guarantees that the kind of inputs shared with your friends can also influence the kinds of inputs you come across with.
Furthermore, insights from Musk suggest that although X algorithm is designed to filter your feed by interactions, other extra signals such as forwarded posts are also involved as well. This multi-faceted approach make sure that your feed is always evolving with a true representation of your overall content interest.
How X Misreads Your Mood: Musk Reveals Algorithm's Oversight on User Intent
What Musk has recently said in his tweet highlights a major problem of X’s content algorithm. To his mind, it seems that the algorithm believes that everything you share is of interest to you, and it does not take into consideration the proper intents into account. This means that if you decided to share a post out of frustration, or for the sake of it just being funny, X’s algorithm does not see any difference.
The current system on X does not capture the intricacies as to why users interact with particular posts. This restriction is rather disadvantageous as it eliminates any possibility of a user being offended by some content; as in the case, even if you are offended or angered by a specific content, your actions are considered by the platform as interest or approving endorsement of similar items. This is a classic problem that most people face when dealing with the algorithms or artificial intelligence – the algorithm does not understand the nuances of how you really feel.
Indeed, Musk is right on certain aspects, namely the fact that there is a fatal issue with how X’s algorithm works. The thought processed of the platform that how it tries hard to retain the user’s attention is rooted in a mindset which is quite narrow and fails to understand that there can be multiple reasons for sharing content. However, one of the major limitations is the inability to provide deeper insight to the user sentiment.
Nevertheless, X still promotes the content that, according to the platform’s criterion, is relevant for users to keep on scrolling. This is as part of a broader category of strategies to increase interaction and it is likely that thebotandthe userarefullyinteracting inanygivensituation even though the intent of the user can be misconstrued.
Twitter, Musk’s tweet implies that consumers have to be active in the type of content they consume in X or rather self-organising because the platform itself and its algorithm helps to determine what the users are likely to like.
As is often the case with Musk’s commentary, he highlights the issue without offering a direct solution. Users are left to figure out how to interact with the algorithm effectively and manage their feed amidst the platform's limitations.
