Hey Elon, it’s time for some real talk. People are scratching their heads wondering if they’ve been shoved into the shadows on X. You know, that whole shadowbanning thing? Yeah, it’s causing quite a stir.
A quick reminder: Shadowbanning is when a user’s posts or content are hidden from others on social media platforms without their knowledge. While the user can still post normally, their content becomes less visible to others, often due to violating platform rules or suspicious behavior. This lack of transparency can lead to confusion and frustration among users.
So, here’s the deal: users are hitting up X, formerly Twitter, with complaints left and right about being slapped with what they’re calling “temporary labels.” Basically, it’s like a digital dunce cap that limits how far your posts can reach without giving you a clear reason why.
Search for “temporary label” and you’ll find a treasure trove of users airing their grievances. They’re getting these generic notifications saying their accounts “may contain spam or be engaging in other types of platform manipulation.” But let’s be real, that doesn’t tell them squat about what they supposedly did wrong or how to fix it.
Shadowban examples are all over the world
Take Jesabel (@JesabelRaay), for example. She’s just trying to chat about movies, but suddenly she’s got this label on her account.
I did a little more research on it & I have not been posting any “spam” nor have I been trying to promote a website or business or channel for monetary value or whatever. This is so annoying.
— Jesabel (@JesabelRaay) March 18, 2024
And she’s not alone. You can search for it and see it with your own eyes.
Despite Elon Musk’s claims of being a free speech champion, this shadowbanning issue has been hanging around since X takeover happened. Users are feeling let down, and frankly, they’re fed up with the lack of transparency.
Even Lilian Edwards, an Internet law expert, is feeling the heat. She’s been hit with some serious shadowbanning action, with her replies disappearing into the abyss even for her followers.
If you want to see my tweets/replies, you should know that Twitter apparently lowkey shadowbanned my account/is reducing its visibility. No possibility of appeal so unfortunately the only way around it seems to be to turn off the notifications quality filter or/(and?) follow me. https://t.co/AKeg0jTCbN
— Gateklons @gateklons@eupolicy.social (@gateklons) March 13, 2024
Now, let’s talk about the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA). X is under the microscope, big time. They’re supposed to be clear about why they’re restricting content, but it’s all smoke and mirrors. Article 17 says they need to explain why they’re putting users in the shadows, but X’s notifications fall short.
Users deserve better than being left in the dark. The DSA might just be the wakeup call X needs to clean up its act and expose these shadowbanning shenanigans. So, what’s it going to be? Are we going to stay in the shadows, or are we finally going to see the light? We will see it soon, hopefully.
Featured image credit: Eray Eliaçık/Bing Image Creator
