Elon Musk’s Twitter, now known as X, has faced criticism for intentionally slowing down user access to news organizations and online competitors.
This action appears to be aimed at websites that Elon Musk himself has expressed displeasure with. Additionally, X Pro (formerly TweetDeck) has transitioned to a subscription-based model, a move that had been in the works for some time.
Musk Delays Access to Rival Websites
Users who clicked on certain websites like Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky, Substack, Reuters, and The New York Times experienced an unexpected delay of around five seconds before accessing content. Tests by The Washington Post brought this practice to light.
A noticeable pattern emerged—these delayed websites were all previously targeted by Musk for various reasons, either through ridicule or direct criticism. This raised questions about whether these actions aimed to influence their traffic and ad revenue.
The delay was linked to X’s use of the t.co domain, a link-shortening service. Every link shared on X’s platform went through this domain, enabling the company to monitor and potentially slow down activity directed at the targeted website. The impact of this approach, especially on businesses Musk dislikes, was discussed.
Interestingly, X started lifting the throttling on some of the affected websites after reports about the practice surfaced. Although some delays were reduced to zero, it’s unclear if all initially affected websites had their service fully restored.
Not all websites were impacted by this slowing tactic. Links to several other sites, including The Washington Post, Fox News, and social networking platforms like Mastodon and YouTube, were unaffected, according to The Washington Post’s research. Shortened links to these destinations took a second or less.
Elon Musk, known for his strong opinions and self-described “free speech absolutist” stance, did not officially comment on the situation. Similarly, X, the entity in question, provided no further explanations.
TweetDeck, now X Pro, is now subscription-based
Elon Musk’s X Pro (formerly TweetDeck) has introduced a subscription plan simultaneously with news of verified user access. This change came shortly after X’s announcement that only verified users would have access to X Pro. Many users who rely on the tool for tracking lists and trends on the platform expressed concerns about the transition to a subscription-based model.
The decision wasn’t entirely surprising, as the company had previously stated on July 3 that TweetDeck would be limited to verified users after a 30-day period. The implementation of this new policy was slightly delayed, similar to other timelines mentioned by Musk.
Important: Please note that this article is only meant to provide information and should not be taken as legal, tax, investment, financial, or any other type of advice.
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