Musk’s comments come amid growing concerns about the role of social media platforms in shaping public perceptions and influencing elections. Critics argue that these platforms wield immense power over the flow of information, and their algorithms can be manipulated to amplify certain content while suppressing others.

Facebook, with its massive user base, has faced mounting scrutiny over its content recommendation algorithms, which determine what users see on their feeds. Musk’s tweet adds fuel to the ongoing debate about transparency and accountability in the tech industry.

“Facebook is manipulating the public almost everywhere on Earth. That is why they won’t open source their algorithm,” tweeted Elon Musk, taking a dig at Mark Zuckerberg’s Facebook.

According to a recent investigation, it is alleged that Facebook, led by Mark Zuckerberg, is providing financial support to activists in order to hinder their opponents during a national referendum, reports Mashable India.

Reportedly, these activists are reportedly advocating for censorship against their adversaries. This development appears to contradict Zuckerberg‘s previous assertion that Facebook maintains independent fact-checkers and remains impartial, welcoming all perspectives without interfering in electoral processes.

Responding to this revelation, Elon Musk commented that Facebook’s actions seem to indicate a widespread manipulation of public sentiment across various regions. He also suggested that this manipulation might be the primary reason behind Meta’s decision to keep its algorithm undisclosed and not open source.

Described as a diversion from the platform’s broader challenges with transparency, The Wire labeled the release of the app’s open source algorithm as a misleading tactic. The publication drew parallels to TikTok‘s tactics in 2020 when facing scrutiny from US regulators, noting its utilization of the term ‘source code.’ TikTok had similarly unveiled plans for transparency centers, which, notably, have not been accessible to the public. Despite this, TikTok has not followed through with the release of the mentioned source codes.

Updated: 23 Aug 2023, 06:06 PM IST