X algorithm amplifies right-wing political content to new users uninterested in politics
Two major news outlets reported that X's algorithm amplifies right-leaning political content, particularly pro-Trump posts, to new users who indicated no interest in politics. The findings suggest the platform may be algorithmically favoring political content and right-wing material in its For You feed.
What happened
The Wall Street Journal created 14 new accounts on X signaling interests only in nonpolitical topics like crafts, sports, and cooking. The algorithm served these accounts predominantly political content anyway, with about half of all posts on their For You feeds being political or election-related, despite fewer than a third of unique posts being political.
Ten of the top 14 most-seen accounts across the Journal's test accounts leaned right, and pro-Trump content appeared about twice as frequently as pro-Harris material. The Washington Post analyzed over a year of tweets from congressional accounts and found Republican tweets significantly more likely to go viral than Democratic ones.
Reported impact
New X users uninterested in politics were exposed to a steady diet of posts favoring Donald Trump and casting doubt on election integrity. X told the public that politics accounts for only a small percentage of what users see, but the Journal's analysis contradicted this for new users.
Index analysis
Both The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal conducted separate analyses showing algorithmic amplification of right-leaning content. The Journal's findings indicated the algorithm actively repeated political posts, multiplying their reach despite their relative scarcity in the feed.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.