Former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon criticized Elon Musk’s decision to alter X’s algorithm to censor “negativity” on the platform in the wake of a heated online debate over H-1B visas.
On his Saturday broadcast of The War Room, Bannon blasted Musk’s move to influence social discourse on X while simultaneously rolling out a new payment system on the X platform, which he warns will lead to a Chinese-style “social credit system.”
“This is the CCP. This is a social credit score,” Bannon said. “He’s got a glass jaw…he’s got the maturity of an 11-year-old. It’s obvious, he can’t take criticism.”
Musk's Hypocrisy: X will Alter Algorithm to Suppress "Negativity,” Joe Allen Reports @JOEBOTxyz pic.twitter.com/bV4BfWLy5s
— Bannon’s WarRoom (@Bannons_WarRoom) January 4, 2025
“One of his weaknesses is that he needs to be loved. He needs the masses to love him. He needs the masses to love him, you can tell when he’s on the stage, he needs that glory.”
Bannon went on to say that Musk receiving widespread criticism for unapologetically advocating for more H-1B visas was what compelled him to crack down on dissent on X.
“So then when his apparatus turns against him, and particularly people that cheered him who said ‘hey, we hate what you’re doing to this country, we know now that you’re lying to us, bald-faced lie, these are not high-skilled people,’ and they turn, all of a sudden, he has to go to what is a Chinese credit score,” he said.
“They have a digital ghetto. And to only have raised up what praises him. That is like the little boy’s mentally of ‘I want to be the superhero, I want to put the cape on and kind of skip around.'”
“It’s an absolute indication of immaturity, of not being able to deal with things as an adult. And that’s what you’re seeing being implemented on Twitter here,” Bannon added.
Musk on Friday announced X’s algorithm would be changed to promote more “informational/entertaining content” and limit replies to his posts to only paying “verified” users.
Algorithm tweak coming soon to promote more informational/entertaining content. We will publish the changes to @XEng.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 4, 2025
Our goal is to maximize unregretted user-seconds. Too much negativity is being pushed that technically grows user time, but not unregretted user time.
The announcement came after Musk got repeatedly ratioed after he pushed for an unpopular mass “legal” immigration agenda, banned numerous accounts for criticizing him, demonetized critics and removed their blue checkmarks, and declared “war” against opponents of H-1B visas.
Infowars founder Alex Jones also warned that Musk’s algorithm change is a slippery slope toward censorship.
“The big question is how will negatively be defined? One could say a lot of @elonmusk post could be seen as negative when he exposes corruption. But in reality spotlighting evil is very positive. Blind positivity is as dangerous as mindless negativity,” Jones wrote on X Saturday.
The big question is how will negatively be defined? One could say a lot of @elonmusk post could be seen as negative when he exposes corruption. But in reality spotlighting evil is very positive. Blind positivity is as dangerous as mindless negativity. https://t.co/oq2Xamv1u3
— Alex Jones (@RealAlexJones) January 4, 2025
Plenty of others on social media likewise criticized Musk’s move to promote certain viewpoints over others on the X platform as laying the “social credit score” groundwork.
The New X pic.twitter.com/8TkvmoJ9FP
— Polly St George: Documenting Bread & Circuses (@FringeViews) January 4, 2025
Your account will now be punished if you try to hold your elected officials accountable on X. Government censorship is back.
— TheTexasOne (@TexasRepublic71) January 4, 2025
You folks thought X was about free speech when it's really about permissible speech.
— toddstarnes (@toddstarnes) January 4, 2025
The new X? pic.twitter.com/4Hav4hBk9I
— Brick Suit (@Brick_Suit) January 4, 2025
Elon is creating a social class system within X. People are finally realizing it.
— Always Right (@Right_NeverLeft) January 4, 2025
— Alex Rosen (@iFightForKids) January 4, 2025
Elon's new algorithm will deduct 1 point from your social credit score every time you call Ian Miles Cheong a retard.
— Michael Oxford – AKA The Santa Cruz Mountain Goat (@SCMountainGoat) January 4, 2025
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