ALBAWABA - X previously known as Twitter has come under scrutiny for allegedly slowing down traffic to specific websites that are publicly criticized by its owner, Elon Musk. The social media platform introduced a deliberate delay when users accessed links to certain websites, including The New York Times, Instagram, Facebook, Bluesky, Threads, Reuters, and Substack.
This action has raised concerns about potential revenue losses for these targeted companies. The slowdown, which took about five seconds to load web pages, was observed by users on the Hacker News forum and was initially reported by The Washington Post.
The deliberate throttling of traffic to these websites, all of which have been subject to Musk's public criticism, could have resulted in diminished website traffic and ad revenue. Even minor delays can significantly impact user experience, as impatience may arise when content fails to load promptly.
Notably, a quick test revealed that prominent news organizations and websites such as YouTube and Fox News remained unaffected by these delays. The slowdown appears to have exclusively affected websites that Musk has previously criticized or ridiculed.
Former head of trust and safety at Twitter, on the Bluesky platform, remarked that the delays seemed almost unbelievable, even for Twitter. He highlighted that even a one-second delay could lead to users losing interest and switching to other content, thus increasing bounce rates and reducing engagement time on the linked site. Delays, he noted, can be sufficiently bothersome to unconsciously drive users away.
In response to a Threads post addressing the throttling issue, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg reacted with a "thinking face emoji." It's worth noting that Musk is currently engaged in a feud with Zuckerberg, having even mentioned a potential cage fight between them.
This incident isn't the first time Musk's personal grievances have impacted the social network's operations. Previously, Musk had blocked links to Substack, Threads, and other competitors. Earlier this year, he labeled The New York Times as "propaganda" and revoked the news organization's verification check mark.
X, now led by Elon Musk, has refrained from responding to press inquiries, reflecting a change in its approach since Musk's takeover last year.
