X, previously known as Twitter, has blocked dozens of Spanish disseminators and media accounts overnight and without prior notice. Some of these accounts, like Mari Luz Congosto or Javier Barriuso, analyzed the spread of misinformation on the social network itself. Others, like Blanca Arteaga or Anabel Fortes, were profiles dedicated mainly to dissemination. The Balearic edition of elDiario.es and the Aragonese media AraInfo have also been affected by X. The only explanation given to those affected is that they do not comply with the social network’s rules, without providing further details. EL PAÍS has asked the company about the reasons for this wave of suspensions and whether they are temporary or permanent. The communication department has an automatic response activated stating that they are very busy and to ask again later. One of Elon Musk’s first measures after taking over Twitter in October 2022 was to fire thousands of employees (80% of the staff), including almost the entire communication team.
The suspended accounts do not have a clear common link. Many of them belong to female disseminators. In the absence of official explanations, a debate has arisen on the social network regarding this ban, with speculation about a possible algorithm update, a cleanup of bots, and even the possibility of an organized external attack. The option that the suspension of accounts may be related to the fight against bots is the most popular. Musk himself cited combating ghost accounts as one of his main goals when he acquired the social network. The mogul has stated this week that the only way to combat bots is to charge users for posting content on his platform. The blocking of accounts could have been a consequence of a new protocol aimed at filtering out bots, leading to the suspension of non-automated accounts.
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