How X (Twitter) Is Changing Online Debate
When Elon Musk took over Twitter, now rebranded as X, he promised to champion free speech. But is his ownership a push for open discourse, or has he turned the platform into a right-wing echo chamber? In a conversation with journalist and author Jamie Bartlett, we explored the shifting dynamics of online political conversations and whether X is truly a neutral platform or a tool for ideological warfare.
“The Right Has Done Better Than the Left at Caricaturing the Opposition”
Since Musk’s acquisition, many have accused him of amplifying right-wing voices and changing the algorithm to favor conservative content. But is that really the case? Jamie Bartlett argues that it might not be about deliberate boosting, but rather a reflection of the real political landscape.
“I think the right has done better than the left at caricaturing the opposition over the last four years. And I think video is a key way that’s happened.” [00:14:00]
This is crucial—social media, particularly X, rewards viral, emotional, and often divisive content. Whether intentional or not, the right has leveraged this far more effectively than the left.
Is X Actually Boosting the Right? Or Just Removing a Liberal Bias?
One of the most controversial claims about Musk’s Twitter takeover is that right-wing voices are being artificially boosted. However, Bartlett suggests a different perspective:
“I feel like what might have happened to a certain extent… it’s not so much that the right is being boosted as much as it is that people are more conservative than we realize.” [00:40:00]
According to this argument, social media previously had an unconscious liberal bias—not necessarily because of censorship, but due to the people designing the algorithms. Once Musk removed some of these barriers, the political landscape of the platform began reflecting real-world opinions more accurately.
This suggests that X may not be shifting rightward, but instead, revealing a hidden conservatism that was already there.
The Power of Algorithmic Influence
Musk’s X isn’t just about free speech—it’s about who controls the narrative. The shift in how content is recommended plays a major role in shaping public opinion:
“Social media doesn’t just expose you to new ideas—it forces you into an arms race of extremes.” [00:44:00]
The move away from chronological feeds to engagement-driven recommendations has fueled polarization. Whether Musk is personally influencing content is less important than the fact that the algorithms now reflect the most extreme viewpoints—because those are the ones that get clicks.
Bartlett also points out that the platform’s For You feed is now flooded with content about societal collapse, establishment stitch-ups, and political chaos:
“You turn on any social media and it is just story after story after story of terrible things, establishment stitch-ups, legacy press lying to you—nonstop, all the time.” [00:43:00]
This kind of doom-loop engagement benefits X’s business model but creates an environment where fear, outrage, and division thrive.
What’s Next for X?
So, is Musk’s Twitter takeover truly about free speech, or has it become a right-wing propaganda machine? The reality, according to Bartlett, is more complicated.
The platform has:
✅ Removed some of the liberal biases embedded in old algorithms
✅ Created a space where right-wing voices thrive, but not necessarily through artificial boosting
✅ Shifted toward hyper-polarized engagement, where the loudest and most extreme voices dominate
And governments have NO idea what to do about it:
“I really don’t think they’ve got any idea what to do. If they try and enforce the Online Safety Act… most of them will just say, ‘No, you’re not. What are you going to do about it?’” [00:54:00]
As governments struggle to regulate Big Tech, X remains a wild west of political discourse—where free speech, algorithmic manipulation, and ideological warfare collide.
What do you think? Has X become a right-wing echo chamber, or is it simply exposing hidden political truths?
