Allegations have surfaced against X, formerly known as Twitter, after the social media platform allegedly caused delays in accessing content from major news outlets such as Reuters and the New York Times.
(Photo : JOSH EDELSON/AFP via Getty Images)
A newly constructed X sign is seen on the roof of the headquarters of the social media platform previously known as Twitter, in San Francisco, on July 29, 2023. Elon Musk killed off the Twitter logo on July 24, 2023, replacing the world-recognized blue bird with a white X as the tycoon accelerates his efforts to transform the floundering social media giant.
X Delaying Access to News Outlets
Users clicking on links to websites like Reuters and the New York Times through the X platform experienced delays of approximately five seconds before the web pages fully loaded.
Reuters reported that these claims raise concerns about the impact of such delays on user experience and the accessibility of vital news information.
The exact start date of X's link delay to certain websites remains uncertain. On Tuesday, a user on the tech forum Hacker News disclosed encountering link delays earlier in the day, claiming that X initiated delays for New York Times links since August 4.
The delay specifically impacted the t.co domain, a link-shortening service integral to X's link processing. This domain serves as a conduit for website traffic, enabling X to monitor and, in this situation, impose throttling on activity directed toward the target websites.
This action could potentially divert traffic and advertisement earnings away from enterprises that X owner Elon Musk personally holds reservations against.
Also Read: AFP Takes Legal Action Against Elon Musk's X Over Copyright Dispute in France
X Receiving Criticisms
That same day, Elon Musk criticized the publication's reporting on South Africa and accused it of endorsing genocide. However, Reuters reported that there is no substantiated connection between these two occurrences. X has yet to provide an explanation to the New York Times regarding the link delay.
A New York Times spokesperson expressed concern: "While we don't know the rationale behind the application of this time delay, we would be concerned by targeted pressure applied to any news organization for unclear reasons."
In a statement addressed to The Washington Post, Substack's co-founders Chris Best, Hamish McKenzie, and Jairaj Sethi conveyed their appeal to X to overturn the decision introducing a delay on Substack links.
They said, "Writers cannot build sustainable businesses if their connection to their audience depends on unreliable platforms that have proven they are willing to make changes that are hostile to the people who use them."
Online companies invest substantial sums of money to optimize the swift loading of their websites. This strategic approach is rooted in the understanding that even minor delays can drive users away due to impatience, causing a decline in website traffic.
Google's examination of mobile traffic in 2016 highlighted that 53 percent of users abandoned a website if its loading time exceeded three seconds. An individual acquainted with the workings of the Times disclosed that the news outlet had observed a reduction in traffic originating from X since the onset of these delays.
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