In a recent episode of “The Daily Show,” Jon Stewart, a liberal comedian, made fun of Elon Musk after the billionaire hosted an interview with former President Donald Trump on X (formerly Twitter). Stewart wasn’t alone in his critique—billionaire businessman Mark Cuban joined him in the conversation. However, Musk quickly responded, explaining how X’s algorithm actually functions and setting the record straight.
Cuban and Stewart hinted that Musk had some hidden motives when he bought X in late 2022. They suggested that Musk was using his power to shape public discussions and influence people’s thoughts. But Musk, who has always been a strong supporter of free speech, insists that his platform is open to all viewpoints, regardless of political leanings.
Cuban kicked off by saying, “I mean, look at Elon, right? Elon, in being one of the most powerful people, he’s trying to be the most influential man in the world — it sounds like a commercial — but literally, that’s what Twitter has given him.” Stewart agreed, saying, “I’ve gotta say, I think he might already be that.
I don’t even think he’s trying to be. When you’re setting up satellite links for war zones and controlling discussions on the most important media platform, you’re the most powerful.”
Cuban continued by pointing out how much control Musk has over X. “Twitter is in almost every country, right? So Elon can reach the prime minister or leader of any country he wants. And those leaders care about what happens on Twitter. Since Elon controls the algorithms, and he’s the biggest user, he can decide what happens. It’s like he can push as hard as he wants with the flick of his thumb,” Cuban explained.
Stewart then suggested that Musk is worried about civil war, especially for white Americans. “I think he’s very clear that civil war is inevitable, and that white people are under the gun,” Stewart commented. Cuban agreed, saying, “It’s frightening and concerning.”
The conversation moved toward how X’s algorithm works, with Cuban hinting that Musk might be using it to favor his own opinions. “When you write an algorithm — I haven’t written many myself, but when you do, you get to control what happens on your platform.
And Elon has definitely done that to favor things he likes,” Cuban shared. Stewart added, “But isn’t there a certain amount of ‘tech bro malpractice’ here? There’s a real need for something less biased or toxic, don’t you think?”
Musk didn’t let these comments slide. He replied on X, explaining how the platform’s algorithm really works. “That was hilarious 😂 Unlike other platforms, our algorithm is open source! If you argue with ‘right-wing’ accounts, like Cuban does all the time, the algorithm assumes that’s what you want to see and gives you more of it.
Lmao,” Musk wrote, making it clear that the algorithm responds to user interactions, not personal preferences.
Later, a popular X account shared the clip of Cuban and Stewart’s discussion, saying, “Mark Cuban and Jon Stewart slam 𝕏 and @elonmusk, accuse Musk of manipulating the algorithm to push his preferred narratives to influence the election.”
The account went on to add, “Neither of these guys seem to have an issue with the entire media industry manipulating information to support their favorite candidate. But suddenly, one platform that offers uncensored views from all sides is the issue — all because its owner doesn’t fit their narrative.”
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