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How does a global communication platform evolve into a politically charged network? A new study co-authored by Weizenbaum researcher Clara Iglesias Keller demonstrates that the transformation of Twitter into X represents far more than a simple rebranding.
The analysis, titled "The Great Sysop: Elon Musk, X, and the Emergence of Platform Illiberalism," describes this development as a deliberate ideological transformation and introduces the concept of "platform illiberalism" to theorize this shift.
The Mechanism of "Platform Illiberalism"
The international research team—João C. Magalhães, Clara Iglesias Keller, and Robert Gorwa—analyzed a dataset of over 1,500 individual events related to X’s organizational transformation. Their findings show that central mechanisms, including content moderation, platform rules, and Trust and Safety systems, were systematically dismantled, with far-reaching consequences for the digital public sphere.
Institutional Change and New Platform Logic
Since the takeover by Elon Musk, the fundamental logic of the platform has shifted. The study identifies three central processes that characterized X’s approach to content moderation: The political simplification of the governance ecosystem; the centralization of decision-making power and the targeted reinterpretation of safety mechanisms for political purposes.
The authors define platform illiberalism as an emerging regime whereby "illiberal-esque logics" reshape speech control internally while simultaneously mobilizing the platform to support illiberal actors operating externally. Under this regime, principles like freedom of speech are rhetorically emphasized while the standards that previously protected democratic discourse are weakened.
The Great Sysop
Elon Musk himself plays a central role in this transformation. The study characterizes him as "The Great Sysop"—a system administrator who shapes the platform not through transparent rules, but through wide-ranging, personal interventions.
"Musk acts like an administrator who governs the network based on personal ideological preferences," says Clara Iglesias Keller. "This creates the illiberal paradox: while freedom of speech is propagated, the weakening of trust-and-safety structures leads to the displacement of marginalized voices."
Implications for Democracy and Regulation
Drawing on political science frameworks, the study places the mutation into X within the context of global democratic erosion. The authors argue that X now represents a "unique fusion of social media and authoritarianism," functioning as part of an illiberal public sphere that actively promotes authoritarian actors and attitudes.
The study concludes that X serves as a primary case study for the illiberal restructuring of digital infrastructures. These changes do not only affect internal platform rules but—bolstered by Musk’s personal influence—contribute to the strengthening of far-right projects worldwide.
These findings provide a critical foundation for current debates regarding the regulation of large online platforms and the protection of democratic standards in the digital age.
The Great Sysop: Elon Musk, X, and the emergence of platform illiberalism https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/14614448261424889
Authors:
João C. Magalhães, University of Manchester
Clara Iglesias Keller, Weizenbaum Institute & Berlin Social Science Center
Robert Gorwa, Berlin Social Science Center
Clara Iglesias Keller, Weizenbaum Institute & Berlin Social Science Center
The Great Sysop: Elon Musk, X, and the emergence of platform illiberalism https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/14614448261424889
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