Some social media platforms are shifting toward amplifying right-wing ideology while suppressing opposing voices. Multi-billionaires like Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos have demonstrated public or financial support for President Donald Trump. At his inauguration in January, these tech titans were seated in front of the members of the Cabinet, signaling the close relationship between the tech industry and the 47th president. Viewed by some as a sign of an emerging oligarchy, these tech moguls control platforms such as X (formerly Twitter), Instagram and Facebook, raising concerns that social media algorithms are being manipulated to favor conservative narratives.
This shift has not happened in a vacuum. Musk’s acquisition of Twitter and subsequent rebranding to X ushered in a dramatic rollback of content moderation. Hate speech, misinformation and extremist rhetoric that were previously moderated are now freely circulating. Musk, who played a role in Trump’s 2024 election campaign, reinstated Trump’s account, reversing the ban imposed after the Jan. 6 insurrection. Zuckerberg’s Meta empire has also implemented changes that critics argue align with conservative interests, including relaxing content policies that previously suppressed harmful misinformation.
Musk, Zuckerberg and Bezos are not just passive tech leaders but influential power players whose financial and political decisions shape public discourse. Musk’s alignment with the Republican Party has become more apparent, from attending closed-door meetings with Trump to publicly engaging with right-wing influencers. Zuckerberg, who previously faced scrutiny for Facebook’s role in spreading misinformation during the 2016 election, has reportedly been working behind the scenes to strengthen his influence. Bezos, the owner of The Washington Post, has faced speculation regarding shifts in the newspaper’s editorial stance toward Trump.
The motivations behind their support for Trump may extend beyond ideology. These billionaires stand to benefit from Trump’s deregulatory policies, tax cuts and reduced scrutiny over Big Tech’s monopolistic practices. By influencing social media platforms, they hold the power to shape public narratives, with opposing voices facing shadow bans, algorithmic suppression and content removal.
The most evident example of tech billionaires aligning with Trump’s interests is the ongoing TikTok saga. After years of widespread scrutiny over TikTok’s Chinese ownership, Trump pressured ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, to sell the platform to a U.S. entity. While Meta is a potential competitor, acquiring TikTok would give Zuckerberg an even greater competitive edge in the social media landscape.
The most recent temporary TikTok ban in the U.S. added another bizarre layer. During the brief suspension on Jan. 19, a pop-up message on the app informed users that TikTok was working with “President Trump” to reinstate the platform. However, Trump was not president at that time. His inauguration was scheduled for Jan. 20, the day after. When TikTok returned that same day, it once again credited “President Trump” for resolving the issue. Though seemingly minor, this messaging choice reflects a broader attempt to shape public perception, elevating Trump’s influence even outside of his presidency.
The political implications of these social media shifts extend beyond Trump’s personal gain. While platforms once took decisive actions to regulate harmful rhetoric, such as banning Trump post-insurrection, many are backtracking. Musk’s growing presence in Trump’s inner circle is particularly alarming and suggests that his decisions regarding X are not made independently. By allowing extremist content to flourish while limiting left-leaning activism, Musk is shaping the platform into an echo chamber that serves conservative interests.
For users, these changes contribute to a radically different online experience. Content moderation policies have weakened, leading to a rise in hate speech, disinformation and right-wing rhetoric. Some users have reported that their social media feeds increasingly feature conservative content, even without their direct engagement. One Reddit user wrote, “I opened the app [X] this morning and every post was right-wing propaganda, feeds I would never follow. I hid about a dozen feeds and gave up. The platform is quickly turning into an echo chamber.” Beyond anecdotal evidence, studies show that since Musk’s takeover, engagement with right-wing content on X has skyrocketed, while progressive accounts report declining visibility. If this trend continues, the online landscape may become dominated by extremist voices while alternative perspectives are systematically suppressed.
The right-wing takeover of social media is not just a technological shift but also a political weaponization of digital spaces. Without intervention, social media could cease to serve as a platform for free expression and instead function as a propaganda machine, serving the interests of the ultra-rich and the politically powerful.
The solution lies in public awareness and regulatory intervention. Users must remain vigilant, question the content they consume and demand transparency from these platforms. Without accountability, the democratic nature of social media will erode, instead serving the interests of the billionaires who control its algorithms.
