Elon Musk has said that shadow banning on his social media site X will be “fixed soon”, in an another apparent move to make good on his pledge to make the platform more transparent.
Since paying $44 billion for the company formerly known as Twitter, Mr Musk has worked to ensure his goals in this regard are met, but he has not been able to escape criticism, as he himself has reportedly used the tactic.
Here, we take a look at what shadow banning is, why it matters and how it is being dealt with.
What is shadow banning?
Shadow banning, in simple terms, is used to restrict or limit a user's activity and reach instead of outright banning them – all without informing the user. It is used as a content-moderating technique.
Also known as ghost banning, stealth banning and comment ghosting, this action can result in less or no visibility for a user: for example, a user may appear to be able to post on message boards, but these posts could be distributed in a limited manner or be outright invisible to everyone else.
Its use, therefore, is two-pronged: while it can be used to curb misinformation, hate speech and fake news, platforms can also use it to limit the visibility of users they deem to be critical or unfair to them – or, in extreme cases, even as a form of punishing them.
Mr Musk himself has been accused of using this technique. This week, X was reported to have delayed access to the websites of companies that have been critical of his companies, as well as social media rivals.
How did it originate?
The first mention of the term “shadow ban” was reported to have emerged in 2001 from the blogging site Something Awful, which is also credited for other famous terms “spoiler alert” and “AMA” (ask me anything).
However, while the term did not stick much then, it would have been much different if it were coined in today's age of social media.
The next mainstream mention of the term came in 2012 when users on Reddit accused the platform’s administrators of banning a link to an article on a US blogging site, according to The New York Times.
Since then, the term and its use has evolved to what it is today. It is also associated with cancel culture, or the phenomenon of being ostracised for doing something deemed unacceptable.
Who has been using this tactic?
It is difficult to tell, given that modern shadow banning requires having access to a platform's software and code, which are normally proprietary and heavily guarded – but it is no surprise that the biggest names in the market have been dragged into it.
Meta Platform's Facebook, the world's biggest social media site, has for the past several years been accused of using shadow banning on its platform, but this has been denied repeatedly, including by chief executive Mark Zuckerberg.
Instagram, another Meta-owned platform, appears to use shadow banning in a different and more formal way by deprioritising accounts that it deems to have violated its terms of use or policies. Users who feel their Instagram accounts have been wrongfully restricted can file an appeal to the company.
Generally speaking, many platforms have used shadow banning in one form or another. The likes of Reddit, YouTube LinkedIn and TikTok have all been linked to this tactic, and some companies have been reported to explicitly indicate that they use it in their rules.
When was it discovered on Twitter?
Twitter engineers found it buried deep in Twitter's code, apparently unaware that it was there all the time.
It is unclear when the code was embedded into the platform's system. It could well pre-date Mr Musk's takeover of Twitter since, according to the company, the shadow banning code also applied to the account of Mr Musk, who is obsessed with the reach and engagement of his tweets.
Mr Musk on June 17 confirmed this to be “true”, saying that there were “many skeletons in the closet” of Twitter and that no one knew that this code even existed.
How will X deal with shadow banning?
At the moment, it is unclear. Mr Musk has not commented beyond his most recent tweet. The world's wealthiest person is famous for sending out messages that are short and cryptic or vague, without giving many details.
If Mr Musk is to make good on his transparency and inclusivity pledges, he will have to ensure that shadow banning on X is addressed. He has already made part of X's code public, which, in theory, could have meant that the code was just be waiting to be discovered.
Tips from the expert
Dobromir Radichkov, chief data officer at dubizzle and Bayut, offers a few tips for UAE residents looking to earn some cash from pre-loved items.
- Sellers should focus on providing high-quality used goods at attractive prices to buyers.
- It’s important to use clear and appealing photos, with catchy titles and detailed descriptions to capture the attention of prospective buyers.
- Try to advertise a realistic price to attract buyers looking for good deals, especially in the current environment where consumers are significantly more price-sensitive.
- Be creative and look around your home for valuable items that you no longer need but might be useful to others.
Generation Start-up: Awok company profile
Started: 2013
Founder: Ulugbek Yuldashev
Sector: e-commerce
Size: 600 plus
Stage: still in talks with VCs
Principal Investors: self-financed by founder
Joker: Folie a Deux
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson
Director: Todd Phillips
Rating: 2/5
SQUADS
India
Virat Kohli (captain), Rohit Sharma (vice-captain), Shikhar Dhawan, Ajinkya Rahane, Manish Pandey, Kedar Jadhav, Dinesh Karthik, Mahendra Singh Dhoni (wicketkeeper), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Shardul Thakur
New Zealand
Kane Williamson (captain), Martin Guptill, Colin Munro, Ross Taylor, Tom Latham (wicketkeeper), Henry Nicholls, Ish Sodhi, George Worker, Glenn Phillips, Matt Henry, Colin de Grandhomme, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee, Adam Milne, Trent Boult
The biog
Age: 59
From: Giza Governorate, Egypt
Family: A daughter, two sons and wife
Favourite tree: Ghaf
Runner up favourite tree: Frankincense
Favourite place on Sir Bani Yas Island: “I love all of Sir Bani Yas. Every spot of Sir Bani Yas, I love it.”
Brief scores:
Day 2
England: 277 & 19-0
West Indies: 154
Roger Federer's 2018 record
Australian Open Champion
Rotterdam Champion
Indian Wells Runner-up
Miami Second round
Stuttgart Champion
Halle Runner-up
Wimbledon Quarter-finals
Cincinnati Runner-up
US Open Fourth round
Shanghai Semi-finals
Basel Champion
Paris Masters Semi-finals
'Champions'
Director: Manuel Calvo
Stars: Yassir Al Saggaf and Fatima Al Banawi
Rating: 2/5
The biog
DOB: March 13, 1987
Place of birth: Jeddah, Saudi Arabia but lived in Virginia in the US and raised in Lebanon
School: ACS in Lebanon
University: BSA in Graphic Design at the American University of Beirut
MSA in Design Entrepreneurship at the School of Visual Arts in New York City
Nationality: Lebanese
Status: Single
Favourite thing to do: I really enjoy cycling, I was a participant in Cycling for Gaza for the second time this year
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Blonde
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Griselda
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Company profile: buybackbazaar.com
Name: buybackbazaar.com
Started: January 2018
Founder(s): Pishu Ganglani and Ricky Husaini
Based: Dubai
Sector: FinTech, micro finance
Initial investment: $1 million
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
Difference between fractional ownership and timeshare
Although similar in its appearance, the concept of a fractional title deed is unlike that of a timeshare, which usually involves multiple investors buying “time” in a property whereby the owner has the right to occupation for a specified period of time in any year, as opposed to the actual real estate, said John Peacock, Head of Indirect Tax and Conveyancing, BSA Ahmad Bin Hezeem & Associates, a law firm.
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
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More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
The biog
Name: Abeer Al Shahi
Emirate: Sharjah – Khor Fakkan
Education: Master’s degree in special education, preparing for a PhD in philosophy.
Favourite activities: Bungee jumping
Favourite quote: “My people and I will not settle for anything less than first place” – Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid.
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