Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Sheikh Qassem: Our supporters make up more than half of Lebanon's population, and all of these people are united under the banner of protecting Lebanon, its Resistance, its people, and its integrity.
Sheikh Qassem: There will be no phased handing in of our arms. [The Israelis] must first enact the agreement before we start talking about a defensive strategy.
Sheikh Qassem: Be brave in the face of foreign pressures, and we will be by your side in this stance.
Sheikh Qassem: Stripping us of our arms is like stripping us of our very soul, and this will prompt us to show them our might.
Sheikh Qassem: We will not abandon our arms, for they gave us dignity; we will not abandon our arms, for they protect us against our enemy.
Sheikh Qassem: The US efforts we are seeing are aimed at sabotaging Lebanon and constitute a call for sedition.
Sheikh Qassem: If you truly want to establish sovereignty and work for Lebanon’s interests, then stop the aggression.
Sheikh Qassem: The United States, which is meddling in Lebanon, is not trustworthy but rather poses a danger to it.
Sheikh Qassem: The United States is preventing the weapons that protect the homeland.
Sheikh Qassem: The government’s latest decision [on the disarmament of the Resistance] is non-charter-based, and if the government continues down this path, it is not faithful to Lebanon’s sovereignty.

Trump's Musk appointment puts social media neutrality at risk

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Anadolu Agency
  • 26 Nov 2024 11:09
5 Min Read

Elon Musk's involvement in the government is viewed as a threat to social media neutrality due to his biased policies.

Listen
  • x
  • Elon Musk arrives before President-elect Donald Trump speaks during an America First Policy Institute gala at his Mar-a-Lago estate, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024, in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
    Elon Musk arrives before President-elect Donald Trump speaks during an America First Policy Institute gala at his Mar-a-Lago estate, on November 14, 2024, in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP)

Social media neutrality is under growing scrutiny, especially after President-elect Donald Trump appointed X platform owner Elon Musk to lead a new federal agency, the "Department of Government Efficiency."

Faik Tanrikulu, an associate professor of humanities at Istanbul Medipol University, told Anadolu that discussions around social media neutrality have intensified in recent years.

Tanrikulu explained that while Musk has relaxed some content restrictions on X in the name of free speech, he has also been criticized for allowing certain political views while suppressing others.

“For instance, while pro-Ukraine sentiment was (algorithmically) promoted during the Russia-Ukraine war, pro-Russia content was restricted on X, and similarly, during Israel’s attacks on Gaza, pro-Palestinian sentiment was restricted while pro-Israel posts were left untouched,” said Tanrikulu.

He added that “such interventions reinforced the perception of Musk, as his personal preferences on the platform’s financial interests overshadowed his (purported) neutrality and advocacy for freedom of speech."

Concerns about X credibility, neutrality

Tanrikulu pointed out that The Guardian's decision to cease posting on X after Musk's appointment to the new federal agency has reignited ongoing concerns about the platform's credibility and alleged neutrality.

The UK-based newspaper called X a "toxic media platform," accusing Musk of leveraging his influence to shape political discourse.

In a similar move, German soccer club SV Werder Bremen announced they were leaving X and encouraged their followers to join them on the rival platform Bluesky. The club cited the growing prevalence of hate speech masked as free speech on X as the main reason for their exit.

Read next: Musk says Wikipedia 'broken', citing alleged anti-Trump bias

Social media as a tool to incite chaos

Related News

Trump claims Gaza war to end in weeks, despite ongoing Israeli assault

Trump orders national guard expansion in Washington

Tanrikulu emphasized that social media platforms have revolutionized society by enabling people to participate in democracy and voice their criticisms of governments. However, he also warned that while these platforms can foster social change, they can equally contribute to chaos.

He pointed to the "Arab Spring" protests as an example of how social media can successfully mobilize large-scale movements against governments.

“Platforms like Facebook and Twitter played a crucial role in these protests and the rapid spread of mass movements against governments,” he said.

“However, we have seen in the UK the negative impacts of organizing masses to protest over social media, and how disinformation can result in actual danger,” he noted.

“A false report about the murder of three people at the hands of migrants spread rapidly online and led to protests and violence on the streets, and despite its falsehood, the effects of the chaos created by social media were felt and continue to be felt for a long time.”

Social media vs national security

Tanrikulu highlighted the growing tension between the neutrality and independence of social media platforms and the mounting pressure from governments. One example he cited is the US government's stance on the Chinese app TikTok.

The US has made multiple attempts to ban or regulate TikTok, citing concerns that it poses a national security threat due to the alleged sharing of user data with the Chinese government.

“A complete ban on TikTok was on the agenda during Trump’s first term, and while the Biden administration demanded strict regulations on TikTok’s activities in the country, it made it clear that the US is taking a tougher stance against social media platforms it can’t control,” he said.

Tanrikulu also noted that France has taken action against Telegram, the encrypted messaging app, accusing it of being used by criminals and terrorists.

“Telegram’s end-to-end encryption has been criticized for allegedly platforming criminal activity, and these allegations, coupled with the terrorist attacks in Paris, in which Telegram was alleged to have been used to organize, France was prompted to pressure the platform,” he said.

He explained that China has adopted a retaliatory approach by banning Western platforms like Facebook, X, Instagram, and YouTube, and replacing them with domestic alternatives to safeguard its national and cultural sovereignty.

Tanrikulu emphasized that these examples illustrate the growing pressure on social media platforms from governments seeking control. While such efforts are often justified as protecting freedom of speech and user privacy, countries sometimes intervene, citing national security concerns.

“This war (between countries for control and platforms to decide their own operations) often puts both the rights of users and freedom to access information at risk,” he said.

He concluded that although social media platforms claim to champion freedom of speech and democracy, they often prioritize their own financial and ideological interests.

  • United States
  • Faik Tanrikulu
  • Elon Musk
  • Donald Trump

Most Read

Tom Artiom Alexandrovich, executive director of the defense division of the Israeli National Cyber Directorate, undated (Social media)

Israeli-born US prosecutor drops Israeli officer child sex crime

  • Politics
  • 19 Aug 2025
Almost instantly after the Helsinki Accords were signed, organisations sprouted to document purported violations, whose findings were fed to overseas embassies for international amplification. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Zeinab el-Hajj)

How ‘Human Rights’ became a Western weapon

  • Opinion
  • 23 Aug 2025
Israeli soldiers stand on the top of armoured vehicles parked on an area near the Israeli-Gaza border, as seen from southern Israel, Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025 (AP)

Palestinian fighters target Israeli soldiers, vehicles in Gaza

  • Politics
  • 21 Aug 2025
Launch of a ballistic missile from Yemen toward the occupied Palestinian territories. (YAF military media)

Yemeni Forces announce firing hypersonic missile at Al-Lydd Airport

  • Politics
  • 22 Aug 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a press conference at the Prime minister's office in al-Quds, Occupied Palestine, Sunday, Aug. 10, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Netanyahu deliberately derailing truce with Gaza occupation: Hamas

Irish President Michael Higgins arrives to deliver his speech during a 42nd World Food Day celebration at FAO headquarters in Rome, on Oct. 16, 2023. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Politics

Irish president renews call for UN military intervention in Gaza

US Ambassador to Turkey and Special Envoy to Syria Tom Barrack speaks during an interview with The Associated Press at the US Embassy in Aukar, northern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, Monday, July 21, 2025 (AP)
Politics

US envoy, Netanyahu discuss restraining attacks on Lebanon, withdrawal

Smoke billows following Israeli airstrikes in multiple areas in Sanaa, Yemen, Sunday, Aug. 24, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Ansar Allah vow sustained Gaza support despite Israeli strikes

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS