The consolidation of power among the world’s wealthiest leaders in social media has become increasingly notable since the Presidential Inauguration. As social media becomes a battleground for political content and discourse, the increased exposure to right-wing content can shape American’s view in unprecedented ways.
Along with Elon Musk’s undeniable support for President Donald Trump, users have reported suppression of certain viewpoints and uplifting others on X.
Prior to the 2024 election, apolitical X users were more likely to see content in support of Trump than Kamala Harris. This trend raises concern around X’s algorithm, especially under Musk’s control. “Once Elon Musk bought Twitter, my feed was immediately different. Although I do not follow Elon Musk nor any other right-wing users, my For You page is consistently filled with tweets from Trump, Elon, Charlie Kirk and Donald Trump Jr,” senior Grace Ludwig conveyed.
Musk originally bought the platform formerly known as Twitter because it was not, in his viewpoint, upholding the principles of free speech. Since his acquisition of X, Musk has banned several left-wing journalists, including CNN’s Donie O’Sullivan, The New York Times’ Ryan Mac, The Washington Post’s Drew Harwell and many others.
Not only does this call into question Musk’s “commitment” to free speech, but also raises concerns about responsible platform governance. Musk’s selectively banning journalists undermines the very principle he claimed to uphold: promoting a space to build cohesion within a nation.
Although not openly supporting a political side, Mark Zuckerburg, CEO of Meta, recently announced changes to the company’s policies at the beginning of this year, most notably ending their 8-year fact checking initiative. While Zuckerburg claimed this was a move to “restore free expression on our platforms,” critics have raised concerns about scientific information as well as a rise in hate speech.
In accordance with the discontinuation of fact checking, Meta has also edited its Hateful Conduct Policy to cut back on restrictions for discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community while keeping the same restrictions for other communities. These changes– implemented on Instagram, Facebook, Whatsapp and Threads– can result in significant consequences.
“Meta’s recent changes are a deliberate attack at the LGBTQ community. Not only does take away protections, it also promotes hate speech on platforms filled with queer youth. With Trump’s recapture of the White House, homophobic and transphobia is spiraling, and Meta is only exacerbating this hateful rhetoric,” senior Kelly Wu emphasized.
These controversial changes are not unique to Meta and X; TikTok has received similar backlash following the fleeting ban last weekend. Although the app was set to be banned on Sunday, Jan. 19, American users can still currently access the app. After officially going dark at 9:30PM CST, a message thanking President Trump was displayed for all users: “We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated that he will work with us on a solution to reinstate TikTok once he takes office.”
Within 15 hours, TikTok was again available to all users who still had the app downloaded. Again, a message was displayed: “As a result of President Trump’s efforts, TikTok is back in the U.S.!” These targeted messages have sparked mass frenzy, especially considering Trump was not president at the time of reinstatement.
Following the 15-hour ban, many users went online to report questionable changes. TikTok user @honeyroastedhamrick shared, “Something bad happened while we were gone. Somethings off here,” and this user goes on to state changes to the algorithm that she and many other users have noticed. Within just 24 hours, her video has amassed over six million views and two million likes.
Others have shared concerns surrounding the repeated glorification of President Trump and extreme changes to the algorithm. “Seeing the idolization of Trump along with noticeable changes to the algorithm feels calculated. It’s hard not to question the motives of TikTok’s CEO along with every other social media platform,” Ludwig commented.
TikTok CEO Shou Chew also attended Trump’s inaugural events this past weekend, including his “Make America Great Again Victory Rally” and Inauguration.
“What this effectively means is that every social media platform– mass social media platform in the United States– has been taken over by the right wing,” Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio Cortez said in a reel posted on Instagram.
With several of the world’s richest men under the influence of Trump, it is unclear what long-term implications come from consumption of right-wing political content. The presence of “Tech Bros” Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerburg and Jeffery Bezos at Trump’s Inauguration raises further concerns about the dangerous alignment of unchecked power. This paves the way for manipulation of policy and law, widening the gap between the elite and the rest of society. This is a blatant attack on fairness and equality, as this consolidation of power casts a dark shadow over the future of governance and justice.
